Darkest Powers
by Daimeryan Rei
Summary: (AU) When two CEOs end up dead in Domino City, detectives Jounouchi Katsuya and Honda Hiroto are put on the case. The investigation goes south when their best friend, Mutou Yuugi, is accused of the murders. Jounouchi goes undercover to clear his friend's name, only to find out that the stage has been taken over by a master criminal known as The Pharaoh and his bodyguard...
1. Chapter 1

Title: Darkest Powers

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters  
Pairings: Mahaado x Atemu, Yuugi x Atemu, Anzu x Otogi

Genre: supernatural elements, action/adventure, romance  
Warnings: shounen ai, foul language, character death (will be warned for in the respective chapter)  
Summary: (AU) When two CEOs end up dead in Domino City, detectives Jounouchi Katsuya and Honda Hiroto are put on the case. The investigation goes south when their best friend, Mutou Yuugi, is accused of the murders. Jounouchi goes into the city's underbelly to clear his friend's name, only to find out that the stage has been taken over by a master criminal known as The Pharaoh, and his mysterious bodyguard Mahaado…

Author's note: Butchering of canon events to fit the story. Everyone is at least ten years older. Liberal use of the Japanese police procedure and legal system. Feedback is a great thing.

Key: - = scene change

* * *

Give us this day all that you showed me  
The power and the glory _till my kingdom comes_  
Give me all the storybook told me  
The faith and the glory _till my kingdom comes_

 _Hymn_ , Ultravox

* * *

"You really missed out on a career as a chef, Yuugi. This is the best _ebi chili_ I've ever had!"

"You're just flattering me, Jounouchi-kun. You'll eat anything!"

"Anything garbage, that is," Honda piped up. "I have to agree, though: this is really, really good, Yuugi."

"If you want some more…"

"Don't mind if I do!" Jounouchi lifted up his bowl for a second helping. He would never say no to food. He was a lousy cook, living off of frozen meals, fast food or take-out. He only came into his kitchen for a beer or to whip up some scrambled eggs. Having dinner with friends was the perfect opportunity to enjoy a balanced meal and to catch up with each other's busy lives. He knew Mutou Yuugi since High school, though they didn't start out as friends when they first met. Together with Hiroto Honda, Jounouchi was a bully back then and they belonged to a vicious street gang. They preyed on easy targets like Yuugi, a shy kid who believed in friendship and giving people second chances. It took a while, but they managed to break free from the gang, leaving violence and bullying behind them. Honda wasn't just his friend, he was also his colleague. Both worked for the Domino City police force, having climbed up all the way from cop on the beat to detective. They never discussed the details of an investigation during dinner with friends, and Yuugi in particular. Aside from the obvious reasons, it was also nice to get away from the 'police mindset' and act like a civilian. Jounouchi considered Yuugi, Honda and the police force his family, as he didn't have any contact with his abusive, alcoholic father. The relationship with his mother was fragile and distant. His younger sister Shizuka was the only relative he had, and he adored her. She was also Honda's object of affection, much to his dismay.

"Thanks, man." Jounouchi put his bowl down and used his chopsticks to help himself to another mouthful of delicious _ebi chili_. Honda was also served seconds and Yuugi took, as usual, whatever was left. Both friends had stopped admonishing Yuugi for being far too polite and too modest a long time ago. Yuugi would always put his friends first and himself last; that was just his character.

"Any plans for the weekend?" Yuugi asked.

"No shift for me," Honda said. "My cousin Yoshi is getting married this Saturday. I asked for the entire weekend off, months in advance."

Jounouchi nodded. "Captain Ushio can be a real hardass when it comes to taking time off."

"Ushio-san runs an entire police corps. He has to be strict." Yuugi sipped his sake. His glass was half as big as Jounouchi's and Honda's.

Jounouchi made a face. "I'm on call this weekend." He chewed on a shrimp. "I hope nothing serious happens. Shizuka's throwing her birthday party…"

"Why wasn't I invited?" Honda complained. "If I had known, I would've cancelled the stupid wedding!"

Jounouchi stared at him incredulously. "It's for family only!"

"I'm practically family!"

"That makes it even creepier! I don't want you as a brother-in-law!"

"Yuugi, say something!"

Yuugi hid a chuckle behind his hand. "I'm not going to get involved! You're adults and fully capable of sorting your problems on your own."

"You're the shrink here, why don't you analyze his erratic behavior?" Honda protested.

"I'm a psychologist, not a psychiatrist," Yuugi gently corrected him. "Now behave, or you won't get any dessert." Jounouchi immediately looked like someone had hit him over the head with something heavy. Yuugi smiled triumphantly. "See? Works everytime."

Honda patted Jounouchi on the shoulder while Yuugi went to retrieve the _anmitsu_. Just as he returned, Jounouchi's cell phone rang. He took it out of his pants pocket and checked the display. "Sorry guys, I have to take this one."

Yuugi and Honda nodded in understanding. Jounouch left the kitchen and walked into the living room to keep the conversation private. He returned not a minute later.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," he said. "You too, Honda. We have a situation in the Kuwogara district." He quickly picked up his bowl of _anmitsu_ and shoveled the delicious dessert inside his mouth. "Sorry, Yuugi."

"I know," Yuugi said, a little deflated. "I had hoped though, that we could catch up for a longer time than just dinner." He was, of course, well aware of the implications of his friends' jobs; being a detective was never a nine-to-five job.

"Yeah, you're right. You could use the company." Jounouchi regretted the words as soon as he had spoken them. He could've been more subtle, but subtlety and Jounouchi Katsuya didn't mix. Yuugi had recently lost his grandfather and was still grieving for his loss. To make matters worse, Yuugi's mother had died at a young age and his father was constantly away on 'business trips', leaving his son all alone. Honda nudged Jounouchi harshly with his elbow. Before he could apologize, Yuugi showed him his trademark thousand-watt-smile. Jounouchi saw the strain and effort it took his friend to work up that smile; they knew each other so well that it was easy to read their facial expressions.

"Sorry, Yuugi, that wasn't one of my best comments…"

"It's all right, Jounouchi-kun. I'm sorry you can't stay longer. You shouldn't keep Ushio-san waiting."

"Yeah… we'll stay in touch, all right?"

"Of course." Yuugi all but shooed them out the door. He lived above a quaint Game Shop, renting the first floor and the attic. Jounouchi stuffed his hands in his pockets, feeling bad about what he had said. It wasn't far beside the truth though; Yuugi _was_ lonely, even if he didn't want to admit it himself.

"What's the situation?" Honda asked, switching immediately to his professional detective mode. He kept work and his private life strictly apart, just like Jounouchi, and they were both able to switch quickly. He waited with his inquiry until they were outside. "What did the captain say?"

"Murder with a capital M," Jounouchi answered curtly. "He requested both of us, urgently."

"Kuwogara district." Honda put on a pensive face. "That's serious business, man."

Jounouchi let the bad pun slide. Kuwogara district was the business district of Domino City, the economic heart so to say, harboring many national and international headquarters. It was crowded daily with numerous salarymen and office workers, creating a big commute between this district and the rest of the city.

"Industrial Illusions," he said. "You can guess where this is going."

"You're kidding me. Pegasus J. Crawford?"

"The very one and the same. We better hurry, Honda." He dug up his car keys and unlocked the Toyota Civic. Honda sat down on the passenger's seat, knowing that Jounouchi preferred to drive. He turned the keys, roaring the engine to life, and he floored the gas after one more look at the Game Shop, and Yuugi on the first floor, behind the window, waving at them.

Jounouchi had lived his entire life in Domino City. The city suited him, in a negative and positive way. In his younger years, he knew an average, common family life until his parents divorced messily, due to his father's drinking problem. His mother took Shizuka with her and Jounouchi stayed behind with his father, who sank into a deep, alcohol-induced depression. Feeling abandoned and enraged, Jounouchi ended up on the streets. He joined a gang, learning the 'tricks of the trade' from thieves and thugs, and got to know the city's streets very well – mostly the dark underbelly, not the surface. It went downhill from there and he would've become a full-fledged criminal or ended up killed by the harsh gang competition, if it weren't for Yuugi. Whenever Jounouchi was present at Domino High, he hated seeing Yuugi: a short, kind, fellow classmate with outrageous multi-colored hair and clean clothes, average grades and a smile on his face. He bullied him relentlessy, unable to cope with Yuugi's friendly nature and honest beliefs. It wasn't until later when Jounouchi learned that Yuugi was raised by his grandfather and that his life wasn't as easy and wonderful as it looked. Despite all of the hardships, Yuugi tried his best to stay positive and give people a second chance – a chance that Jounouchi needed to turn his life around.

"Not good," Honda said, next to him. He wasn't talking about the Kuwogara district.

"Yeah, he's too lonely." Jounouchi turned the siren on, rushing through traffic. "Why isn't he looking for someone to share his life with?"

"It's all Otogi's fault," Honda sneered.

"Yeah," Jounouchi answered, half-heartedly. "He should move on. There are plenty of other fish in the sea." Otogi Ryuuji had been a fellow classmate, who had hit it big in America and Japan with a game he had developed himself: Dungeon Dice Monsters. Girls swarmed around him, guys admired him and he was popular, successful and not to mention, handsome. He had even wooed Shizuka for a while, evoking much jealousy from Honda. However, he fell in love with Anzu Mazaki, the girl who had been Yuugi's friend since childhood. It was no secret that Yuugi had a crush on her, but Anzu never reciprocated Yuugi's feelings and choose to be with Otogi. Jounouchi was convinced she broke Yuugi's heart, even though deep down he knew that a relationship couldn't be forced, of course. Yuugi had waited too long, he hadn't made his move and now the woman he loved was in a relationship that lasted for over five years already, and still going strong. It wasn't fair to put the 'blame' on Otogi. Yuugi still called him his friend, and refused to speak badly about him or Anzu.

"Yeah. He's still pining after her. Or has he just given up on a relationship in general?"

"Yuugi believes too much in 'wait and see'," Jounouchi said, as he changed lanes. "He doesn't realize he needs to go out there, mingle, show himself. No one is going to stop by his door and ask him to be the boyfriend."

"He's too modest," Honda commented. "Too polite. He could use some aggression, some testosterone."

Jounouchi couldn't help himself, he snorted. Yuugi and testosterone were like fire and water. "He's far too shy to approach a girl and tell her that he likes her."

"Well, if my memory serves me right, it took you quite a while to approach Mai, Mister Charming."

"True that." Jounouchi couldn't help but grin. Kujaku Mai was the most beautiful woman in town and they had hit it off, only to establish an 'on and off' relationship, which currently was 'off'. Rejection and attraction, a complicated game that didn't make for a durable, healthy relationship. Jounouchi didn't mind. He wasn't looking for commitment now anyway.

"So, what did Ushio say exactly on the phone? Is it really about Pegasus?" Honda asked, switching topic.

"Yes," Jounouchi said. "He has been murdered."

* * *

Industrial Illusions was located at the northwest corner of the Kuwogara district. The lights were on and three police officers guarded the entrance. Jounouchi and Honda showed them their badges and they were allowed to enter the building. Silently, they rode the elevator upstairs, all the way to the penthouse. Jounouchi noticed the rich interior decoration; luxury only the best money could buy. A genuine Picasso on the wall. Tall vases with huge, fresh bouquets adorning mahogany side-tables. Plush carpets, exquisite lighting. The officers securing the area nodded at them, recognizing the duo from the detective teams in Domino City. It was hard to miss their captain, Ushio, standing in the middle of the room. He beckoned them to come closer.

"Captain," Jounouchi greeted him.

"Jounouchi, Honda." The burly man acknowledged their presence. He blocked the way to the bedroom and wiggled his massive eyebrows before he started talking. "At 19.30 hours, a call came in from Kemo-san," he pointed at a tall, typical bodyguard type guy standing to the right, his face as pale as a ghost. "Crawford-san was scheduled to appear at some kind of gaming tournament, to present an award to the winner. Kemo-san came to the penthouse to fetch Crawford-san and when he didn't answer the door, Kemo-san forced his way in."

Ushio stepped to the side, so they could walk into the bedroom. Jounouchi braced himself, Honda took a deep breath. Even after all their years on the streets and as a detective, they would never get used to seeing a dead body; someone murdered in cold blood. He looked around. The bedroom was huge, his apartment would fit in it at least twice. He discarded that thought and focused. He had a job to do. The first thing that struck him, was the impeccable state of the bedroom. Nothing was out of place, nothing seemed out of order. It was so clean, you could probably eat off the floor. Even the bed was made, the sheets as straight as a ruler. No sign of a struggle. He turned around.

"Technical unit been here?"

"On their way. I wanted you to see this first."

Jounouchi grimaced. Ushio would never admit it, but the captain knew that Jounouchi and Honda were the best team he ever had. He focused again on the situation at hand.

"No disturbance at all," Honda said, amazed. He approached the body, lying on the floor, next to the bed. He clacked his tongue. "Only here."

Jounouchi scanned the room and went into the adjacent bathroom. Nothing but the same perfection; all the toiletries were arranged with military precision. He took a quick look at the medicine cabinet: nothing but aspirin. Finally, he went over to Honda, crouched down and carefully studying the body.

"Talk to me," Jounouchi said. Honda didn't beat around the bush.

"His eye has been ripped out." He pointed at the right side of Pegasus' face. The man was dressed in his business suit, impeccably clad to attend the gaming tournament. Even in death, Pegasus looked undisturbed, when you ignored the gaping hole where his right eye was supposed to be. The blood loss was minimal and only his face was marred with blood, no spatters on his clothes. Neither Honda nor Jounouchi could discover any other injuries; they would have to wait for the results of the autopsy. Ushio whistled at them.

"The technical unit has arrived," he said.

"Yeah." Jounouchi straightened himself and tapped Honda on the shoulder. The technical unit, led by a guy named Mako or-something-like-that, entered the bedroom already, kits in hand.

"Hey, Jounouchi," Mako said. Jounouchi returned the greeting. He had the sinking feeling that Mako and his team wasn't going to find much. How much trace, threads or fibers would be left in such a clean environment? Heaving a sigh, he scanned the room once more. His attention was drawn to a huge painting on the wall, of a woman in a rather old-fashioned dress. Jounouchi went over to look at it and found Pegasus' signature at the bottom. So the man had painted it himself. Not bad, if only a bit… dramatic. Jounouchi slapped on a glove and tilted the painting just a little. Just as he thought, there was a safe behind it.

"What did you find?" Honda appeared behind him.

"A motive, perhaps," Jounouchi said. "Pegasus was wealthy. Something could be stolen from this safe."

"I'll go get that Kemo guy," Honda said. "He might know the combination."

Jounouchi waited until Honda returned with the bodyguard, who demonstratively looked the other way.

"Do you know the combination to this safe?"

Kemo nodded, his hands slightly trembling. "I'll open it up for you." He reached for the lock, but Jounouchi stopped him. Kemo wasn't wearing gloves, and he didn't want the bodyguard to add more fingerprints.

"Just tell me the combination."

Kemo understood and related the combination to Jounouchi. The safe opened smoothly.

"Take a look inside. Is something missing?"

Kemo stared at the safe's contents: a wad of cash, a package of gaming cards, paperwork… but nothing of excessive value, like jewelry, gold or silver. "No, everything's there."

Honda told Kemo to wait outside the penthouse and the man left. There wasn't much they could do now; the technical unit would bag and tag everything, and Jounouchi and Honda would get the results after the materials had been processed.

It was way after midnight when they left the crime scene. Honda hadn't mentioned his weekend off and Jounouchi knew he was very good at his work, but he needed some family time as well. He dropped Honda off at his apartment.

"Hey man, I don't want to see you tomorrow," he said. "That ugly face of yours is going to keep me up all night anyway."

"They'll understand," Honda said and yawned. "It's the life of a cop, after all."

"I'm totally serious," Jounouchi replied. "I don't want to see you tomorrow. Go to your cousin's wedding."

"What about Shizuka-chan's birthday?"

"I'm not going to miss it, don't worry. Leave it to me. See you on Monday."

"All right, if you're sure…" …but Jounouchi had already sped away.

* * *

Jounouchi lived in a dinky one-bedroom apartment, located in a poor-ish neighborhood. He didn't make enough as a detective to be able to afford a more expensive apartment. He was a bit jealous of Yuugi's apartment, the first floor and the attic of the quaint building that housed a Game Shop on the ground floor. It was much better than this… shoebox-sized dwelling Jounouchi rented. It was a mess inside: clothes and junk scattered everywhere, empty coffee cups and breakfast plates forming a pile of dirty dishes in the miniature sink, a few empty boxes of take out food strewn over every piece of furniture. He didn't mind; he made sure no one visited his apartment, not even Mai or his sister, Shizuka. Jounouchi checked his home phone and noticed that she had called. He hadn't given her his work phone number on purpose; he couldn't afford distraction in his line of work, and Shizuka would be a distraction, no matter what. He was tempted to call her back, but it was past midnight. It was probably not something very important, perhaps about her birthday party... He indulged her always, no matter what. Jounouchi booted up his laptop and in the meantime, changed into an easy shirt and sweatpants. He made himself a cup of instant coffee and sat on the couch after he shoved a few empty boxes and other grody stuff on the floor.

The next hour he spend searching for information on Pegasus J. Crawford. The man had build his fame and fortune in the gaming industry, especially with a children's card game called Duel Monsters (Jounouchi had never heard of it, but then again he didn't have any children), featuring his own artwork. He had been briefly married to a woman named Cecilia, and Jounouchi recognized her in the wedding pictures: she was the woman from the large painting. Apparently, she died very young after a brief disease and Pegasus never remarried. He had founded Industrial Illusions in America and branched out into Japan after the Duel Monsters game had become popular in particular. Strange. Apparently, Crawford was fairly eccentric, but it didn't look like he had made any enemies. Moreso, his collaboration with Otogi Ryuuji was named in several articles, which brought a sour grin to Jounouchi's face. What were the odds that Mister Perfect, Otogi, would become a suspect in a murder case? He sipped his coffee. How could anyone remove an eye without making a huge mess? One would need excessive surgery skills, he thought. He'd have to wait for the pictures of the crime scene. Jounouchi browsed more sites until fatigue crept up to him. He shut down the laptop and went to his equally disheveled bed, flopping on it and wrapping himself in the sheets.

* * *

The next morning, Jounouchi send his sister a text message to wish her a happy birthday, as soon as he woke up. He already had bought her a gift card and he was adamant to visit her birthday party later this Saturday. First, he swung by the police station and sat down at his desk, booting up his computer. The desk opposite of him was empty; Honda was probably at the wedding right now. Jounouchi opened his email and as he expected, the technical team hadn't been able to find a thing. Their provisionary reports were scary short: no prints, no fibers and no threads. Nothing that indicated the presence of another person. The few pieces of evidence that had been recovered could be attributed to either Pegasus or Kemo, not to a third party. Kemo had been eliminated as a suspect right away; he had an airtight alibi that had been confirmed by several witnesses. Jounouchi frowned. Who else had been in Pegasus' penthouse? He studied the pictures and the lists that Mako and his technical team had send him so far. The contents of the safe didn't yield any new information, but at least now he knew where the deck of cards came from. It had been Pegasus' personal deck, as he enjoyed playing and demonstrating Duel Monsters, the game he had designed himself. Apparently, it was based around Ancient Egypt mythology?

Jounouchi discarded the information about the deck and the game and read the other reports. Pegasus' schedule had been very hectic, but between six and half past seven he had been alone in his penthouse, with dinner scheduled for half past six. Jounouchi leafed through the pictures. He couldn't recall if he had seen food in the penthouse anywhere. The pictures of the kitchen showed him a couple styrofoam boxes on the dinner table, with a logo printed on it. Jounouchi enhanced the pictures so he could read it: Catering service _Anata no ie de_ , or At Your Home. A quick Google search showed him that it was a high-end caterer who used the best (and expensive) ingredients, for a fee that would buy Jounouchi food for at least six months. It didn't surprise him. Anyone who could afford a real Picasso, could pay for an overpriced meal of blue fin tuna, _fugu_ , caviar and _matsutake_ mushrooms. The food seemed untouched, the boxes neatly stacked on top of each other. Jounouchi grabbed his phone and dialed the number.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Is this Catering Service At your Home?"

"Yes, it is! How can I help you?"

"This is Jounouchi Katsuya from Domino City police. I want to know if you delivered to the Industrial Illusions penthouse yesterday?"

He could hear the typing on the keyboard. "Yes, Jounouchi-sama, just a moment… yes, we delivered to Crawford-sama at Industrial Illusions. He always orders the same meal when he is in Domino City."

"Who was your delivery man?"

More typing. "Bakura Ryou," the helpful employee supplied. "He's always on time and very polite."

Jounouchi thanked the employee and hung up. This timely and polite Bakura Ryou was the last person to have seen Pegasus J. Crawford alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Jounouchi retrieved Bakura Ryou's address, noting that it was located in an upper class district. He didn't waste time and drove to the address straight away. After he had arrived at the building, he pressed the doorbell for apartment nr. 6. He already knew his first question: how could a delivery guy afford an apartment in this posh neighborhood? A metallic voice came through the intercom.

"Yes?"

"Bakura Ryou? Jounouchi Katsuya, Domino City Police," he said. "Open the door, please."

A buzzing noise, and the door to the building slid open. Jounouchi took the elevator to the first floor and when he got out, someone was waiting for him in the hallway.

"Bakura Ryou?" Jounouchi repeated as he approached him. The young man bowed to him.

"Yes, Jounouchi-sama," he said, his voice soft and polite.

"Just Jounouchi will do." He showed Bakura his badge. In his line of work he was often addressed with the '-sama' honorific, and he had never liked it. It made him feel old and… not right. "I would like to talk to you."

"Yes, please come inside." Bakura went ahead to his apartment and showed Jounouchi the spot where he could change his shoes. After doing so, Jounouchi walked into the living room which was nicely decorated, nothing too classy or exorbitantly luxurious. 'Modest' was a fitting description. The one striking piece of furniture was a tall display case, showing all kinds of figurines from role-playing games. Jounouchi didn't recognize them and he figured Bakura had to be a collector; the number and variety of figurines was quite impressive.

"What can I do for the Domino City Police?" Bakura asked. Jounouchi turned away from the display case. In the safety of his own home, Bakura had gained a little confidence, but he still looked frail and vulnerable. Was he even capable to take care of himself?

"You work as a delivery guy for _Anata no ie de_ , At Your Home Catering Service?"

Bakura seemed to be surprised by the question. "Yes, I do." He hesitated. "I should probably elaborate. Due to health issues, I am unable to work fulltime. I inherited this apartment from my father. I live off of the rest of his heritance and to make ends meet, I pick up hours at the catering service. Depending on how many deliveries they have, it ranges between four to twelve hours a week."

"I see." Jounouchi made a mental note to investigate Bakura's finances. "Did you deliver at the Industrial Illusions penthouse last Friday?"

"Yes, I did." Bakura smiled at him. "I was ecstatic! Crawford-sama is known for his big tips, so I made sure to be extra fast."

"Did he tip you well on Friday?" Jounouchi couldn't help but ask. Bakura nodded, then looked a little uncomfortable.

"Is there something wrong with the money? Should I give it to you?"

"No, no, the tip is yours, don't worry. How did Pegasus appear to you?"

Bakura was confused for a moment. "Appear? Well, he was rushed; he only had one hour left before he had to attend the tournament, and he wanted to eat… yet he was exited, because he was going to meet up with the Kaibas soon after."

"Wait… Kaiba Seto and Kaiba Mokuba?"

"I couldn't make much of his ramblings," Bakura said apologetically, flinching from Jounouchi's raised voice. "He was talking about some kind of invention of his that would turn the whole gaming world upside down, and he was looking forward to collaborate with Kaiba Seto. He all but threw the tip at me, uncaring how much money it was. I… I tried to give some of it back, because it was such a huge amount, but he just laughed."

"All right." Jounouchi took all the information in. "And after that?"

Bakura turned red in the face. "Ah… eh… I don't know. I mentioned the health issues, right? That is… I suffer from black-outs. I simply don't know what has happened. I lose track of time and I have huge gaps in my mind."

"Really?"

"I know how it sounds. I'm sorry, Jounouchi-sama. Please don't think badly of me. I have this since I was young, and it has become worse as of late. Sometimes I miss an entire day! That's why I can't work fulltime. Who wants to hire someone who has massive black-outs and doesn't remember what he was doing or where he's been?"

Jounouchi also made a mental note to investigate Bakura Ryou's medical files. This sounded absurd. "So, you don't remember if you left the penthouse? Or if Pegasus was still alive when you left?"

"Crawford-sama was alive when he threw the tip at me," Bakura answered. "I do remember kneeling down and picking up the money. I tried to give some of it back, like I said before. I do remember him declining and he told me to leave, as he wanted to eat. I believe I turned around to leave, but… I'm not sure."

"How did you get home?" Jounouchi was curious. Bakura heaved a loud, dramatic sigh.

"I don't know. I usually end up here at the apartment, fortunately. I have woken up in different places, though. When I was younger, I would suddenly be somewhere in the city I had never been before, or at a library, or at a store. People would stare at me."

"I can imagine. Is there a name for your medical condition?"

A wistful smile. "I wish. I'm tired of the pity and strange glares I get. Either people think I'm completely crazy or they think I'm using it as an excuse for not working. That's why I won't accept any welfare money. I can make it on my own, so far."

"You mentioned a heritance?"

"My father was an archaeologist. He oversaw excavations in the Valley of Kings. That's in Egypt," Bakura added when he noticed the blank look on Jounouchi's face. "Tutankhamen?"

Oh yeah, that rang a bell. Jounouchi's thoughts went back to his high school days, when he went on a field trip with his class to the local National Museum. He and Honda had made fun of the mummies and the boring lecture on ceremonial tablets, pharaohs and priests. Of course he totally flunked the history test a few days later. "He died during his last expedition. The site he was working on, collapsed and he perished in the rubble."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Bakura looked a bit embarrassed. "I have nothing left of him but that small inheritance and a golden ring he brought back from one of his earlier travels. Wait, I'll show you."

Jounouchi was about to say that it wasn't really necessary, but Bakura disappeared quickly into his bedroom. He emerged not a minute later. "Here it is."

Jounouchi's interpretation of a ring was a piece of jewelry to put on your finger, but this was a large circular shape with five dangling prongs, chiming like a doorbell. In the middle of the 'ring' was a triangle with a stylized eye on it, all pure gold. A piece of rope was fastened to the small loop on top of the circle to wear it around the neck. Jounouchi stared at it.

"That's quite a…"

"Valuable artifact, yes." Bakura spoke with pride. "I'd love to say my father discovered it, but he bought it at a bazaar while he was in Egypt. I cherish it to this day."

"Thank you for showing it to me," Jounouchi said. "I know enough for now."

"I'm sorry if I couldn't help you out," Bakura said. "If I can do anything…"

"Here's my card," Jounouchi handed it to him. "Should you remember more about Friday evening, don't hesitate to call me. Thank you for your time. I'll show myself out."

* * *

Slightly aggravated, Jounouchi drove back to the station. He ignored the impressive stack of paperwork on his desk and filtered out the reports that concerned the Crawford investigation. He didn't expect the autopsy report until after the weekend, which left him the rest of Saturday and Sunday to gather information and question witnesses… and the most important witness, and the only one so far, was unreliable. Jounouchi filled out the request forms to access Bakura Ryou's financial and medical data. One of his department's secretaries, Rebecca Hopkins, would process these requests and the whole legal bureaucracy that came with it. She would make sure he would get the requested information without harassing him about the procedures. Jounouchi tapped with his fingers against his chin. Who else had seen Pegasus that day, except for Bakura and Kemo? He mulled over the information he had gathered so far. No obvious enemies, no disgruntled ex-lovers and only an amnesiac delivery guy who was the last one to see Pegasus alive. This was going to be a hell of a case.

Reclining in his chair, Jounouchi stared at the empty desk across of him. Honda was at his cousin's wedding. He was glad his friend could enjoy the day off. Jounouchi couldn't remember the last time he had taken a leave of absence. Work kept him busy, not to mention distracted. He hadn't spoken to his father in years and when was the last time he had seen his mother? Shizuka was the only one he… Jounouchi shot up from his chair. Shizuka! The birthday party! He looked at his watch. _Shit_! He was way too late!

* * *

Shizuka was a social butterfly and lived together with two female roommates, also her best friends. She couldn't stand being alone and was abhorred at the thought of living alone, like her brother. As it was, she had invited everyone she knew, also the people she knew through Jounouchi, like Yuugi and Anzu. He could hear the music and voices all over when he approached her apartment; knowing Shizuka, she had invited everyone in the building as well.

"You're late," Shizuka pouted upon his arrival. She was fully aware of the irregularities of his work of course, but she couldn't help herself from admonishing him often about working such a dangerous job. He could see the relief in her eyes, the relief that he made it, even if it wasn't on time; he was _here_.

"I'm sorry," he apologized and handed her a large bouquet of flowers, with the gift card attached. "Happy birthday, sister."

"Thank you so much, onii-chan!" She smelled the delicate roses. "They're beautiful! I'm going to put them into a vase immediately! Can I get you something to drink? Are you on duty?"

"Yes, so soda only, please."

"I'm glad you came." Shizuka hugged her brother tightly. Jounouchi reveled in the hug and helped her to put the flowers in the vase. In the kitchen, she poured him a large glass of soda and he took it with him into the living room, spotting Yuugi close to the piano; one of Shizuka's roommates was a music student.

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi raised his glass to him. "Isn't Honda-kun with you?"

"Nah, it's his cousin's wedding today, remember?"

"Oh yes, that's right." Yuugi smiled. Jounouchi didn't know how a guy could stand to see his crush stand close to him in the same room, with her boyfriend on her arm. It had to be pure torture, or rather, some kind of masochism, it simply had to be. Just as the thought went through his mind, Anzu noticed him and waved at him. Jounouchi returned the wave but ignored Otogi, her boyfriend. Instead, he gulped his soda as he was really thirsty. "Have you been working on your case all day long?"

"Yeah," Jounouchi said. "It's a tough one."

"Is it about Crawford-sama?" Yuugi asked. Jounouchi arched an eyebrow. "It was on the news that the CEO of Industrial Illusions had been murdered. They didn't name him, of course, but everyone knows who they were talking about."

"Damn press," Jounouchi said, irritated. He wouldn't be surprised if he were to find out that the bodyguard, Kemo, had tipped off the press himself. With the current social media and almost everyone disposing over a smart phone with a camera, news traveled faster and less objective. It had barely been a day since the murder, and it was already all over the news. It annoyed him, because most people didn't realize that they were obstructing the investigation, instead of 'helping out'.

"It's really strange that nothing was stolen." Yuugi kept his voice low, even though it was impossible to be overheard with everyone dancing, talking and chattering.

"I didn't know you had so much interest for detective work," Jounouchi quipped. "Your psychology practice doesn't bring that much suspense to the table?"

Yuugi blushed faintly. "Jounouchi-kun! I just can't help thinking about it. It's so cruel."

"Well, I'm working the case and as soon as Honda gets back, we'll bring it to a close."

"I'm counting on it," Yuugi said when Anzu joined their little group.

"Talking about work again, I hear?" she said with her pleasant voice. "Jounouchi, so nice to see you."

"Anzu, how have you been?" The dynamics of their friendship had changed after their high school graduation, when each of them had gone their separate way. Jounouchi and Yuugi had remained closest friends, but Jounouchi and Anzu had drifted apart, especially after she had moved on and started a relationship with Otogi. He didn't blame or fault her, and she was genuinely interested in his well-being. They caught up, but the atmosphere tensed a little, as Yuugi was still standing next to them. Jounouchi felt like the fifth wheel and excused himself, so Yuugi and Anzu could talk to each other. Otogi was next to the makeshift bar, serving himself another soda. Leaving Anzu and Yuugi where they were, Jounouchi closed the distance between him and Otogi.

"Otogi," he unceremoniously addressed him. He never cared much for honorifics.

"Jounouchi-kun," the other answered correctly. "Congratulations with your sister. What age is she now?"

"Twenty-one, and still off-limits to you," Jounouchi immediately replied. During his high-school years, his biggest fear had been that Shizuka would fall for Otogi, a notorious womanizer back then. Together with Honda, Otogi had made great efforts to get to know Shizuka better, but fortunately his sister had never returned the feelings to either of them.

"Relax, she's not the one I'm interested in." Otogi chuckled and his eyes went over to Anzu. "Ah, I see she's talking to our midget friend."

"Don't call Yuugi that!" Jounouchi immediately stood up for him. Otogi raised his hands in defense.

"You're right, that wasn't very nice of me. I apologize. So, how are you doing?"

"I should be asking you. I guess you already heard the news..?"

"Yeah." Otogi looked around and then nodded towards the hallway. "Let's go over there."

Jounouchi followed him, so the loud noises of the festivities couldn't disrupt them. He waited for Otogi to continue, and he wasn't disappointed.

"Pegasus was my business partner," Otogi said. "He was the first to believe that my store, the Black Crown, would succeed. He was the first one to give me funds to start the store, when I couldn't get anyone else to support me. I owe my success to him."

"Wasn't Industrial Illusions a game store in itself?"

"No, you couldn't be more wrong. Pegasus designed games and sold the concept of his games to the likes of KaibaCorp. to produce and manufacture the game. He would keep the intellectual property and the buyer would make the profit. He certainly wasn't the head of a chain of stores."

"Have you ever heard him talk about some kind of invention?"

"Not recently, no. All I know is, that he was completely wrapped up in Duel Monsters as of late. He had almost no more interest in anything else."

"That's a pretty popular game, isn't it? With tournaments and all?"

"Yeah. Pegasus designed the entire game by himself."

"And no one was ever jealous of one's success?"

Otogi frowned. "What are you implying?"

"I have to take everything into account," Jounouchi said. "Jealousy. Revenge. An 'accident'."

Otogi paled. "I don't know what you're thinking, but you're wrong," he said, his voice definitely an octave higher than normal. "We met only every six months to talk business. We would go out to lunch to discuss his investment in my store and the revenues, nothing more. Pegasus was a dramatic and flirty person and he tried to hit on me, despite knowing I have a girlfriend. I was never interested in anything… romantic with him."

"Maybe his incessant flirting got your blood boiling?"

"Come on, Jounouchi-kun, you don't think that I… that I could be capable of such a thing?"

"What thing?" Jounouchi asked innocently.

Otogi swallowed and lowered his voice. "To kill someone."

"I don't know, you tell me." It was delicious to have Otogi sweat like this, even though Jounouchi realized that it was actually quite petty of him to behave this way. He wasn't supposed to abuse his position of power as a detective. "If there's something I've learned in this job, it's that people are capable of anything."

"You're kidding me, right?" Otogi breathed just a little louder. "His death is a serious blow! Without his support and his funding, I'm losing my biggest investor and an exclusive contract on Dungeon Dice Monsters, the game I designed myself. Why would I kill off the goose with the golden eggs?"

"You wouldn't believe what reasons people have to kill someone, even if it was someone they loved dearly," Jounouchi said, staring Otogi right in the eyes.

"Hey guys, what are you doing in the hallway?" Shizuka looked at them both, curiously.

"We were just catching up," Jounouchi said suavely.

"Onii-chan…"

"It's nothing to worry about." Jounouchi made a dismissive gesture. Shizuka held up the tray she was carrying and Jounouchi and Otogi picked up a snack.

"Come back inside," she said. "Mingle with the guests, please? My roommates want to see the tough cop from Domino City."

Before following his sister, Jounouchi cast one more glance at Otogi, who seemed rather disturbed. He realized he'd been acting like a jerk. "Sorry. That was uncalled for."

"It's all right," Otogi said, sounding shaky but relieved. "I hope you can find out who's behind this quickly enough."

"I hope so too," Jounouchi said and went back into the living room.

* * *

The next morning, early Sunday, Jounouchi was surprised to find Honda behind his desk.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to have the weekend off?"

"The captain called me back in," Honda said. "All hands on deck! The Crawford case has full priority and the other detectives are tied up with the current crime spree."

Jounouchi sat in his chair, grunting. Since the last few weeks, crime rates had gone up significantly. In almost every district of Domino City, the numbers of burglaries had increased, as well as pick pocketing and robberies. It wasn't Jounouchi's department, but he had heard form his colleague Hirutani that his team was absolutely swamped with investigating all those crimes. Hirutani was the leader of a taskforce that specialized in gangs, and he had expressed his suspicions that a new gang was in town, wanting to mark their territory.

"Let's get to work, then," he said. Honda asked him to bring him up to speed and Jounouchi told about his visit to Bakura and his conversation with Otogi.

"So we've got nothing so far," Honda concluded sourly. "An unreliable witness, barely any forensics…. Man, this case is cold before we even get started."

"Do you think we should look into the person who has leaked to the media?"

"We could inquire, though I doubt it was the bodyguard." Honda folded his hands. "He didn't mention anything about the eye. Or did he miss that entirely? He saw the blood on Pegasus' face and panicked immediately?"

"I don't know, but it's too big of a detail to leave out." Jounouchi stared at his laptop, at pictures of Pegasus. "What's weird though, he keeps his hair in front of his right eye. Was there something special about it?"

"What do you mean?"

Jounouchi turned his laptop around. "I collected these pictures from gossip sites. Pegasus at tournaments, Pegasus signing autographs, etc... His hair is always in front of his right eye."

"Maybe a stylistic choice?" Honda frowned. "Can you enhance the pictures?"

"Sure." Jounouchi hit a few keys. "Like this?"

"Yeah, zoom in on his face."

"What do you see?"

"It looks like a shimmer of gold," Honda said, squinting his eyes. "I can't make it out very well, but that's not a real eye, behind that hair."

"Let me see." Jounouchi studied the magnified picture. It was a long stretch, as the picture was taken in daylight with a huge amount of sun on Pegasus' skin. The shadows of the strands of his hair blurred the spot where his right eye was supposed to be. "I'm not sure."

"We can ask the bodyguard."

"I've heard of a glass eye before, but a golden eye? And if Pegasus really had a golden eye, the bodyguard surely would've known? He told us that nothing was missing from the apartment."

"No, nothing was missing from the _apartment_ ," Honda snorted, "something was missing from the _dead body_! We should talk to him again; after all, he was the first one to find Pegasus."

* * *

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kemo closed the suitcase on his bed. "I've lost a good job, and now my employer sends me back home. Do you know how it looks like on your resume when the guy you're supposed to protect, ends up dead?"

"Back home?" Honda asked, ignoring the question.

"The United States. I came with Pegasus to Japan."

"All right, just wait a minute… your employer sends you back home? Pegasus wasn't your employer?"

Kemo pointed at an embroidered logo on his shirt. It was quite small, and Jounouchi took a step forward to take a closer look.

"Zorc Security," he read out loud.

"Yes," Kemo said. "They decide my jobs, where and who I work for. Pegasus was my second customer, so to say; I worked for him for four years, but seven years for Zorc Security in total."

"I get it," Jounouchi said. He wasn't interested in Kemo's employer. "You do realize that pending the investigation, you aren't allowed to leave the country?"

Kemo heaved a sigh. "I told the office everything I know and they told me to return to the United States. I'm packing my things just in case; when Zorc Security tells you to go, you go. I don't want to be out of a job."

"Your attachment to your job is touching," Jounouchi said sarcastically. "Now, about Pegasus' eye…"

"He had two normal eyes," Kemo said. "I don't know what you mean with 'a golden eye'."

"Look man, you were his bodyguard! You were glued to him 24/7!"

Kemo straightened himself. "I was his bodyguard yes, not his personal stylist. I don't know why he kept his hair like that! I don't know if he had something to hide, if there was something wrong with his eye or not. I don't care! I wasn't paid to look at his face, I was paid to protect him! And now he's dead!"

"Fine, then tell us if you noticed something differently about him last Friday, or the last time you saw him. Surely you were close enough to notice _that_ , weren't you?"

He looked offended. "Pegasus always had dinner alone. He liked to have a glass of wine and read his Funny Bunny comics while eating, and he didn't want to be disturbed. When Pegasus had dinner, I had time on my own to get something to eat."

"Where did you have dinner? Can people verify that?"

"I was at the Donburi Steak house," Kemo said. "You already asked me that, and I have shown you the receipt."

"Fine," Jounouchi said. Kemo had been cleared as a suspect, but Jounouchi liked to ask the same questions at different moments, just to check if the stories or alibis still held up. "You're not answering the question, though."

"Nothing was different about him," Kemo said tiredly, as if talking to two very dense kids. "Something must've happened in that hour when he was alone. The only thing I can say is that Pegasus was even more excited about the gaming tournament than usual, because he was going to meet the Kaiba brothers afterwards."

Jounouchi pursed his lips. This was the second time they were mentioned. Kaiba Seto had attended Domino High in the same year as him, Honda, Yuugi and Anzu, but at his young age already, he was the CEO of KaibaCorp.. What could a high school teach him that he was learning from experience, leading his company? Jounouchi thanked Kemo for his cooperation and he left with Honda, muttering under his breath.

"What's that?" Honda said.

"What if Pegasus' invention had something to do with Kaiba?"

"We can't go over to Kaiba and interrogate him," Honda said, almost shocked. "The captain would kill us!"

"Relax, we have no reason to look Kaiba up," Jounouchi said. "Pegasus was about to meet him, that's all. Bakura mentioned it and Kemo did too. That doesn't mean Kaiba is involved."

"Yeah. So where do we take it from here?"

"Back to the drawing board," Jounouchi sighed. "We have to take a deeper look at his finances, his family, his business associates… maybe we're overlooking something. Everyone has enemies. There has to be dirt somewhere."

* * *

Back at his desk, Jounouchi found that Mako had delivered the definitive autopsy report on Pegasus. He started to read the documents, while Honda got them some coffee and a bento box from the vending machine in the hallway.

"Well, take a look at this," Jounouchi said when Honda returned. He handed his colleague and friend the file. "Pegasus died from a heart attack, not from the gaping hole in his head."

Honda, who was just about to eat his sandwich, grunted and then took a bite after all. "The blood loss of removing the eye wasn't enough to kill him?"

"Mako writes that the stress and terror of having his eye removed caused such a trauma, that it resulted in a heart attack. Don't forget that someone was gouging out his eye without anesthetics. Mako comments that it was removed with chirurgical precision. He couldn't find any toxic substance in Pegasus' blood work."

Honda munched on his food. He had seen as much as Jounouchi and they had both known from the start that Pegasus was still alive when his eye had been removed. The huge amount of blood had been a silent, but very strong witness.

"Who in the world would take a man's eye?"

"If it was really made of pure gold, well, that's a good reason."

"No." Honda shook his head. "Have you read the inventory list of his safe?"

"Yes, I did. I can't recall exactly what…" Jounouchi retrieved the list from his stack of paperwork. "Oh, now I see… yeah, I get it." The document showed him numbers of foreign currency, credit cards and cash, all together of much more value than a golden eye.

"Okay, so now we can narrow our list of suspects down to an idiot who peels eyes out of people's sockets, cleans up obsessively afterwards and doesn't care for cash, apparently."

"He was probably torturing Pegasus for the combination of the safe? He didn't tell him, not even after his eye being gouged out."

"Perhaps Pegasus surprised his attacker by dying on the spot from the trauma?"

"In any case, his attacker must've known about his golden eye, if that was his only goal."

"We have to interrogate his employees, his relatives, his business associates," Honda said, frustrated. "We can't let the trail go cold!"

"I'm tempted to visit Bakura again," Jounouchi said, "and threaten him with incarceration if he doesn't get his memory back somehow."

"I'm not sure if he could give us any more information." Honda doodled on a piece of paper. Jounouchi nibbled on his pencil. Bakura Ryou had seemed so… helpless.

"Pegasus was a tall man. Bakura would never be able to overpower him and get his eye. The autopsy report says that Pegasus doesn't have any defense wounds; Bakura is far too frail to keep Pegasus pinned to the floor. Pegasus could've easily swatted him away."

"What if there was something else going on?" Honda allowed his thoughts to run free. "What if they were lovers and something went horribly, excruciatingly wrong?"

"No, I don't believe that. Nobody in Pegasus' direct vicinity knew about a lover, let alone someone like Bakura."

"He was an international, flamboyant businessman. I'm sure he knew how to keep things secret and discreet. With all that money of his, he could buy everyone's conscience and silence."

"I'm not buying your 'secret lovers theory'," Jounouchi said. His cell phone rang and he picked up. He listened briefly before disconnecting. "We have another situation," he said. "Another CEO. We have to go, now!"


	3. Chapter 3

Jounouchi stepped on the gas. How big were the odds that two prominent CEOs were killed in less than a week? Jounouchi had never heard of Dartz before, or the company called Paradius. It was located in the same district as Industrial Illusions, which set alarm bells off in his head. Honda had a similar worrisome expression on his face. Paradius loomed up in front of them: a slender, tall building made out of steel and glass. The entrance was blocked by police cars and several ambulances. Jounouchi showed his badge and he was allowed to enter the building, along with Honda. Just as they went through the large revolving doors, two paramedics pushing a gurney raced past them. Jounouchi caught a glimpse of a young man with short, reddish hair strapped to the gurney, his eyes closed. There was no time to waste and Jounouchi and Honda made their way upstairs, per their captain's orders. Dartz didn't have a penthouse on the top floor like Pegasus, but his private offices - with a penchant for more glass. Jounouchi ignored the interior decoration for now and searched out Ushio, standing amidst paramedics and cops, grimacing. He noticed Jounouchi and Honda immediately.

"No eyes were gouged out this time," he said.

"Bring us up to speed, captain."

"We have a witness, but unfortunately he's not in the position to speak."

"The guy they wheeled away downstairs," Honda concluded.

"Exactly. The other two are also witnesses, but they didn't see as much as the third guy. Talk to them. I'll send the rest away."

Jounouchi looked around to see which 'other two' Ushio was referring to. Leaning against the glass wall, a burly guy with short-cropped blond hair glared at everyone and everything in sight, while a shorter guy with spiky brown hair was attended to by a paramedic.

"We need to put a cast on this," the paramedic said, examining the man's arm. "It's definitely broken. We'll take you to the hospital."

"Just a moment," Jounouchi said. He introduced himself and Honda to the two men. "We'd like to ask you a couple of questions. Can you hold on?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, flinching as the paramedic tugged at his arm. "Fuck! It all happened so fast!"

"What did you see?"

"Amelda was with Dartz in the office…"

"Amelda?" Jounouchi connected the dots. "He's the one on his way to the hospital?"

"Yeah. If I get my hands on the one who's responsible for this! I'll fucking tear his head off!"

"Varon," the taller man admonished him. "We have bigger problems than this."

"Dartz." Varon heaved a sigh. "Fuck. He's dead, isn't he?"

"Tell us what happened," Honda encouraged him. Annoyed, Varon swatted the paramedic away.

"We were just goofing off. Dartz had asked us to move some artifacts and we were preparing the shipping papers and transport documents. Amelda went into Dartz' office to ask something, I don't know - what was he going to ask, Rafael?"

The taller man thought for a second. "I think he wanted to know how to spell the destination of the Polynesian statue." He pursed his lips. "Amelda was raised in a very poor country. He didn't have a chance at education like we had." He dared Jounouchi and Honda to say something about it, but they didn't comment.

"Anyway, we were packing those artifacts up when someone suddenly enters the office. Which was strange, as every visitor is announced. We just didn't see him coming."

"What is your relationship to Dartz? Bodyguards?"

"Sort of. Bodyguards, couriers, handymen, henchmen, whatever you want to call it." Varon scrunched up his face, trying to suppress the pain. "Like I said, this guy enters and the next moment, it's all a blur."

"So it was a man. Can you describe him?"

"It all happened so fast," Varon repeated. He seemed embarrassed. Rafael crossed his arms in front of his impressive chest. "I couldn't see his face. It was a flurry of black and red, and something that looked like gold. I could hear it."

"You could _hear_ gold?" Honda asked, flabbergasted.

"No, I meant I could hear it was jewelry, some kind of jewelry. It sounded like a solid chain with something dangling from it. Before I knew it, Rafael was down. I managed to lift up my arm to defend myself, but he just broke it!"

Rafael stared into the other direction, his jaw clenched tight. It had to be very frustrating for such a strong guy to go down without being able to properly defend himself or his friends.

"What happened next?"

"He went into Dartz' office. I heard screams before I lost consciousness." Varon shivered and he clutched his injured arm. "Fuck, that's going to haunt me for the rest of my life. Both Amelda and Dartz."

"Does Dartz have enemies?"

"He's not the friendliest man around," Varon said, "he can be a real jackass, that's for sure. I don't think however, that he antagonized anyone that severely that… well…" His voice trailed off.

"What's the exact nature of his business?"

"Import and export of artifacts and antiquities, preferably from the ancient Greek, Egyptians and Romans… everything BC, the older, the better."

 _Ancient Egyptian artifacts_? Jounouchi perked up. Bakura Ryou had an Egyptian artifact. Pegasus' game had been based on Ancient Egypt culture and mythology. Was that the connection? He filed it away for future use. Jounouchi hadn't told Honda about this, as it was such a flimsy connection that he didn't know whether he should take it serious or not.

"You should really go to the hospital," the paramedic cut in. Varon had paled significantly. He glanced at Jounouchi.

"Go. We'll talk to your colleague here."

Varon nodded in gratitude and the paramedic guided him out of the office, leaving Rafael, who didn't look like he was going to talk anytime soon. Jounouchi decided to let the man be for the moment. He wasn't the main witness and he was obviously hiding his own shock and horror behind that grouchy façade. Interrogating him would only lead to disaster and Jounouchi wanted to take a look at the crime scene. Honda followed him into Dartz' office, where Ushio was standing; he had sent everyone away but the technical unit. Every surface looked so clean that Jounouchi doubted the unit would find any trace, just like at Pegasus' penthouse. He greeted Mako for good measure and slowly approached the crime scene, taking everything in. The CEO of Paradius, Dartz, laid face forward on his glass desk. A knife with a very intricate handle protruded from his back. Barely any blood was visible on his expensive clothes, which surprised Jounouchi. The killer had to have struck a major blood vessel to kill the CEO with just one stab. He put on latex gloves and rotated Dartz' head just a little. The man's eyes were widened in shock and surprise.

"He didn't see his killer coming," Honda concluded. "That's impossible; everything's made out of glass and he came through the door, taking out Amelda first."

"Strange that the killer didn't take out Varon and Rafael," Jounouchi couldn't help but wonder. "If I were the killer, I would get rid of any witnesses instead of just incapacitating them. If this killer was really as fast as Varon claimed, he could've easily planted a knife into them as well."

"They didn't matter. The killer was after Dartz, plain and simple."

Ushio joined them at the desk. "Your first impression?"

"It's weird as fuck, Captain, pardon my language."

Ushio made a gesture that Jounouchi's language wasn't the problem. "I think we have a serial killer on our hands," he said. "First Pegasus, now Dartz. We have to find a link, a connection between these murders, or we'll get an international scandal on our hands. I don't want Domino City to earn the reputation of 'CEO killings city'. The press is going to have a field day with this one."

"I think it's too early to say it's a serial killer," Jounouchi objected. "The modus operandi is quite different. Pegasus wasn't stabbed. Dartz isn't missing an eye."

"Agreed, but they're both widely-known CEO's with international connections," Ushio shot back. "That has to count for something."

"What do you suggest, captain?" Honda asked.

"I think we should bring in a profiler." Ushio's dark eyes scanned the environment. "Someone with enough psychological experience to draw up a profile of this killer and who can gain insight on the way he thinks and operates. I don't like to stand empty-handed, and neither do you."

"That's right, boss." Jounouchi continued to study Dartz. Aside from the single stab wound, Dartz hadn't suffered any other injuries. The longhaired man had heterochromatic eyes and looked fairly eccentric to him, just like Pegasus. Could there be a connection in their private lives? Was Honda's 'secret lover theory' more viable than he thought? It bugged him that someone had been able to sneak up on Dartz and kill him from behind. The office didn't have any other exits or entrances than the single door he had walked through. How was it possible that no one had seen the killer, just 'a flurry of black and red'? Jounouchi and Honda stayed for another hour to research and examine the crime scene meticulously. Finally, the technical unit threw them out, after promising to send them all the results and reports ASAP.

* * *

If someone had told Jounouchi or Honda that the 'someone with enough psychological experience' would turn out to be Yuugi, they would've laughed at their face. Yuugi barely ventured outside his own practice, so it was hard to imagine that he was going to help to catch a killer. When Yuugi showed up at his desk, Jounouchi asked him if he had taken a wrong turn somewhere. Yuugi blushed, slightly embarrassed.

"No, Jounouchi-kun, I'm here to help," he said, flustered. "Ushio-san asked me if I was able to take a look at certain cases to draw up a profile of the person who committed the killings."

"Yuugi, you aren't a profiler," Honda said. "You're going to puke out your guts when you see the pictures."

"I expect so, yes," Yuugi said. He might be introverted, but he wasn't naïve. "I want to help."

Jounouchi couldn't believe that Yuugi was going to work on the Pegasus/Dartz case. "This is a very dangerous killer we're talking about," he said. "This is nothing for you, Yuugi, no offence. I'm going to talk to the captain."

"About what?" Ushio stood behind him, startling Jounouchi.

"Captain! I didn't see you."

"Unless you have eyes in the back of your head, no, you didn't see me. What's the problem?"

"Not really a problem," Jounouchi said. "Well, sort of… Captain, I know Yuugi on a personal basis and I don't think he's the most suitable person for the profiling job. I mean, I don't doubt his work or experiences as a psychologist, but he has no idea what detective work entails and besides…"

"I asked him and he accepted," Ushio said. "What's the problem? He has a good reputation in the city and I'm sure he'll be able to take a fresh look at the cases... unless you already solved them?"

"No," Jounouchi grunted. Yuugi opened his mouth, but Ushio cut him off.

"No apologies or excuses. Get to work, all of you. Jounouchi, give him everything he asks for. No backtalk."

Yuugi had to share a desk with them and he sat down, shoulders a little hunched. When Jounouchi gave him the files, his hands started to tremble. Honda left and returned with coffee for himself and Jounouchi, and tea for Yuugi. Carefully, yet hesitantly, Yuugi opened Pegasus' case file and swallowed when he saw the pictures. He leafed slowly through them, still swallowing.

"This doesn't look personal to me," he said. "Calculated. Planned. No other injuries, just the eye. The perpetrator knew exactly who and what to go after and didn't hesitate to kill."

"Yeah, I thought so too," Jounouchi said. He'd seen his fair share of 'personal' murders; far bloodier and messier than this particular case. "What do you make of the rest of the killer's modus operandi: look at the reports from the technical unit. No fibers, no threads, no trace."

"OCD perhaps," Yuugi said. "Or someone who really doesn't want to get caught."

"Duh," Honda said. "No criminal wants to end up behind bars."

"Yeah, but most criminals aren't as thorough as this one, are they? If he can give the technical unit a run for their money, who knows how he really is? Highly intelligent, cunning and calculating. This isn't a spur-of-the-moment killing. This is meticulous, cold-hearted planning, and it wasn't random, it was targeted, purposefully. The killer went for the eye; it was the only thing he took. What's so important about the eye that the killer focused on it with so much patience and well-thought-out preparation to not leave any trace behind?"

A moment of silence. Both Honda and Jounouchi were baffled.

"Wow Yuugi, I didn't think you had it in you!" Jounouchi saw his friend in a whole different light. It didn't matter that Yuugi was blushing like a little schoolgirl, probably embarrassed at the increasing louder tone of his voice. "That's some really good insight. As for the eye, Honda thought it might be a fake one, made of gold."

"What?" Yuugi asked. Honda explained to him how he had studied pictures of Pegasus and thought that he had an artificial eye, probably made out of gold. The man's bodyguard, Kemo, had vigorously denied that Pegasus had a fake eye and in truth, there wasn't enough evidence to support this 'theory'. The only way to find out was to access Pegasus' medical files; as he was an American, the procedure to retrieve and translate said files was going to be a long one. Jounouchi reminded himself to ask Rebecca, the department secretary, if she had already put this procedure into motion. Yuugi sipped his tea, if only to take his eyes off of the pictures of the crime scene. After his small break, he focused on the pictures again, this time of Dartz. "What are your thoughts on this one?" Jounouchi was curious.

"This has to be one and the same killer," Yuugi said. "Swift and clean. Hardly any blood, almost as if the killer wants to spend as little time as possible on the killing itself. He plans it into the tiniest detail possible, but he doesn't take much time for the actual kill."

"Yet he takes all the time in the world to clean up," Honda interrupted. "Nothing is out of place, the glass is spotless clean and the technical unit can't find a single trace."

"He doesn't want to leave a trail," Yuugi said. "Like a thief in the night, striking from the shadows."

"You're scaring me," Jounouchi said.

"I'm sorry, Jounouchi-kun. In order to draw up a complete profile, I have to study these pictures more. Is there a quiet place around here somewhere?"

"I'll ask around for you," Honda offered.

* * *

Ushio assigned Yuugi one of the smaller offices, not larger than a broom closet. Jounouchi was severely impressed with his friend's interpretation of the case files. Honda shared his sentiment.

"Maybe we haven't given him enough credit for his qualifications and qualities as a psychologist," Honda said as he was having lunch at the cafeteria with his colleague. "The captain wouldn't hire him if he wasn't 100% it would work."

"Yeah, we owe him an apology." Jounouchi slurped the ramen from the cup. He ate the food absent-mindedly, not really tasting the flavors.

"Okay, what's going on?" Honda asked. "When you eat like this, you're mulling over something. What's on your mind?"

He knew him too well, of course. "I have the feeling that we're overlooking something important. Something bigger. Something bigger is going on," Jounouchi said, sourly.

"Don't tell me you're relying on your intuition," Honda joked, even though he knew how important a gut feeling was for a detective.

"Even if Yuugi draws up an entire profile, it doesn't help us. We only have one witness we still have to interrogate, but we don't have any suspects yet, or a motive, except for a memory-missing delivery boy and some weird-ass Ancient Egypt stuff."

"Ancient Egypt stuff?"

Jounouchi hesitantly told Honda about his theory and wasn't surprised at his partner's reaction: rolling his eyes.

"I know it's farfetched," Jounouchi said, a little irritated. "However, we have three people connected to Ancient Egypt somehow and in this case we're grasping at straws as far as motives and suspects go."

"All right, all right," Honda conceded. "Let's recapitulate: Pegasus made his money with a game based on Ancient Egypt mythology. Dartz dealt in antiquities from Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. Our only 'suspect' possesses a golden ring from Ancient Egypt…"

"Actually, Bakura never mentioned it was from Ancient Egypt. He only said his father brought it with him from one of his earlier travels."

"Did it look ancient to you?"

"Hey man, I have no idea about historical artifacts."

"We could always ask the curator of the National Museum," Honda suggested.

"Are you… are you taking this _seriously_?"

"The more I think about it, the more plausible it sounds… like you said yourself, we're grasping at straws. I prefer grasping at straws with some potential to it, then doing nothing and allowing a killer to run loose."

"You're right. I…" Jounouchi's cell phone rang. He flipped it open. "Mako," he said. "I hope the technical unit has some good news for me?"

"No, on the contrary," he said, sounding agitated. "I have reported it to the captain, but I thought you should know too. The knife… Dartz' murder weapon has been stolen."

"What?"

"I have the knife photographed and documented, but it hasn't been logged into the evidence vault. Apparently, it never reached the police station at all." Mako leafed through some paperwork. "I'm looking into it… maybe someone has been 'creative'."

"It's evidence in a murder case," he said. "Not to mention some kind of artifact." He had seen hundreds of knives before, but never one with such an intricate handle like this.

"Talk to Hirutani, he knows gangs and fences," Mako suggested. "Oh, there's something else. Before you arrived, I spoke to Varon to help identify Dartz' belongings. He didn't recognize the knife. It has to be the murderer's."

"Fuck," Jounouchi said and hung up.

* * *

It was late in the evening. For once, Jounouchi was at home, but he didn't enjoy his spare time much. He was tempted to call Mai. Even though their relationship hadn't worked out, they were still good friends. Mai was a good conversation partner and knew how to make him feel comfortable. She had a strong opinion of her own and didn't back down quickly. He had his phone in his hand, but he didn't call. He was aware how he was distancing himself and it made him feel awful. Jounouchi had promised, ever since the bad divorce from his parents, that he would protect his sister and everyone else from pain and violence. What good was his position with the police force if he wasn't able to catch this killer? Two CEOs dead and he didn't have an inkling of the perpetrator. Annoyed with himself, Jounouchi shoved some clutter from his couch on the floor and sat down. Not a second later, his phone rang.

"Yuugi," he said, recognizing the number on the display.

"Jounouchi-kun, I'm not disturbing you?"

"Nah, I'm just at home."

"Dinner?"

"Yeah, got myself some noodles," he said, eyeing the take-out box on the table. "What's up?"

"I wanted to apologize," Yuugi said. "For coming on so strong this morning. I mean, when I was sitting at your desk and talking about the profile…"

"Yuugi, please…" Jounouchi was amused, endeared and slightly annoyed at the same time. "We don't mind at all that you showed us a little spunk. In fact, you should do that more often."

He could almost hear Yuugi blush, if that was even possible. "I-I'm sorry," he said despite Jounouchi's words. "I got a little carried away. I'm not used to look at pictures of dead people and I had to focus on something else, lest I would throw up. It was pretty intense, and I'm sorry if I took it out on you guys."

"It's all right," Jounouchi said, because he knew Yuugi wanted to hear that. He probably couldn't or wouldn't go to sleep if his apology wasn't accepted. "Don't worry about it, Yuugi. Your input was valuable."

"I'll finish up the profile as soon as possible," Yuugi said. Silence. Jounouchi knew something was bothering his friend. They knew each other for so long, it wasn't that hard to tell if something was wrong or not.

"Anzu-chan is going to marry Otogi-kun," he blurted out. "She told me about it on Shizuka-chan's birthday party." Jounouchi wasn't really shocked by the news. After all, they had been in a relationship for so long. He knew what it was about, though: Anzu's marriage made a definitive end to Yuugi's silent hope that somehow, for whatever reason, she would still choose him instead of Otogi. How painful it had to be, Jounouchi thought, and how… unworldly patient Yuugi had been, to still cling to that hope, like a lifeline. He hadn't acted upon his feelings, and now he had to watch Anzu getting married, simply because Otogi had taken action to win the girl's heart. Jounouchi didn't know what to say. 'I'm sorry?' 'Sorry Yuugi, but you should've made the first move?' Instead, he said: "You know, we should totally do something fun together. You, me and Honda, if you like. Something without killers, blood or scary pictures. Let's go laser questing, or go-karting, and have dinner somewhere. My treat!"

"That would be nice, Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi said, his voice upbeat, but Jounouchi could hear the loneliness in it. He hung up, feeling sad and overwhelmed at being unable to cheer up his friend.

* * *

As expected, Ushio was livid at the loss of the murder weapon. He immediately put a second team of detectives on the case to investigate the knife's whereabouts. It had disappeared somewhere in the bureaucracy of evidence logging and the detectives weren't allowed to take any time off before they had retrieved the item. Fortunately, Mako still had pictures of the object and forwarded them by e-mail to Jounouchi. It was extremely frustrating. Dartz' case seemed to go cold just as fast as Pegasus'. Varon's testimony hadn't wielded anything useful and his third colleague, Amelda, was still in the hospital, comatose. Jounouchi stared at the picture of the knife and got an idea.

"Get your jacket," he said to Honda, "we're leaving."

"You got something?"

"You mentioned it before, when we talked about the Ancient Egypt connection… where else but the National Museum can we ask about a knife like this?"

"What would that achieve?" Honda asked.

"Maybe the curator of the museum can shed some light on the artifact and that might give us another lead. Come on, slowpoke. Let's go!"

* * *

The National Museum was on the other side of town and Jounouchi drove, as always, quite aggressively. He parked the car in front of the large building and he and Honda got out. Honda shivered dramatically.

"I haven't been here since my high school days."

"Me neither," Jounouchi said. "Well, we better push through. This is important."

They went up the steps and entered the Museum through sliding doors. The huge hallway was crowded with bulletin boards, displaying information about the numerous exhibits, currently showing. Jounouchi spotted the central information desk and walked up to it. The young woman, dressed impeccably, behind the desk turned towards him and bowed.

"Can I help you?"

He showed her his badge and a picture of the knife. "I would like to talk to someone specialized in this kind of artifact," he said.

"It looks Egyptian to me," the girl replied. "I know just the right person for you. One moment, please." She picked up the phone and pressed a few buttons. Apparently, the person on the other side took the call quite quickly, as she immediately started talking. "Yes, Ishtar-san? Two detectives would like to talk to you. Yes, right here at the service desk." She hung up and smiled at Jounouchi. "She'll be downstairs right away."

He thanked her for her help and turned around to face Honda. His colleague muttered under his breath that he knew exactly why he hadn't visited the Museum ever again. Jounouchi caught a few words like 'pretentious' and 'too intellectual', and he just grinned. His eyes traveled through the hallway, noticing the hypermodern elevators next to a grand staircase. Somehow the modern and the historical objects combined quite well, and a woman was descending… no, gliding down the stairs, with such elegance and grace as if her feet didn't touch the steps and the stairs completely bended itself to her movements. Her ankle-length beige dress was smooth and pristine, hugging her slender figure and leaving her shoulders bare, focusing the attention on the necklace she wore… with the exact same symbol as Bakura Ryou's 'ring'.

"My name is Isis Ishtar," she said, her voice pleasant and well-articulated. "What can I do for the protectors of this city? There is nothing wrong with my brother, I hope?"

Jounouchi kept staring at her necklace, failing to answer. The ensuing silence quickly turned awkward. Ishizu put her hand on the necklace as if she wanted to protect it from Jounouchi's scrutinizing glare.

"Detective..?" she said at the same time as Honda elbowed him. "Jounouchi..!"

He broke out of his trance and coughed. "My apologies, Ishtar-san. Please, can you tell me something about this artifact?" He showed her the picture of the knife.

"That is a ceremonial knife," she said. "Only to be used at the court of a Pharaoh. I would require further study to pinpoint the exact age of the artifact, but judging from its markings, I feel quite safe to say that it is from the 18th dynasty."

"Tutankhamen?" Honda tried, his brain coming up with the name of the most known Pharaoh. Isis looked at him with a brief, but genuine smile.

"The 18th dynasty covers at least two hundred and fifty years," she said. "The knife could be from way before his time, or way after. Would you like me to find out more?"

"I would," Jounouchi said. "Is there anything more you can tell us right away?"

She looked again at the picture. "Like I said, it is a ceremonial knife that only priests or the Pharaoh himself was allowed to wield. It was used to sacrifice animals for the gods."

"So it's not like a steak knife," Jounouchi tried.

Isis chuckled. "Absolutely not. If only priests or the Pharaoh were wielding this, it is nothing but sacred. No one else would be allowed to touch it."

"How could this thing end up in Domino City?"

"I would like to know as well," she said. "A ceremonial knife would be a priceless addition to our collection. I…" A crashing sound was overheard and she snapped her head into the direction the noise came from. "Excuse me, gentlemen."

She walked away with small steps, every movement graceful. Curiously, Jounouchi followed her, even though he didn't know why. Along with the crashing sound, he had heard male voices. If visitors were bothering or demolishing the exhibit… he turned around the corner and saw Isis talking to two young men in rapid Arabic. Her tone of voice was how a parent would talk to a mischievous kid, but he couldn't understand a word that she was saying, as he didn't speak Arabic. The two young men were surprisingly alike; tan skin, blond hair, eyes with long dark lashes and strange markings under them. A broken mug was on the floor, along with some rapidly cooling liquid.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

Isis turned around, apparently not surprised that he had followed her. "Forgive me," she said. "My brothers can be quite rowdy, and they are not…friends with justice. That is why I thought you were coming for them, when you showed me your badge. Malik, Marik, you will greet Jounouchi-sama of the Domino Police Force, now."

"Konnichiwa, Jounouchi-sama," the left one said, his voice quite stern and with a curt, angry tone of voice to it. The right one, sporting a much wilder, spikier hairdo, made a mocking bow and said: "Konnichiwa, Jounouchi-daimyo." He spoke with a rougher voice and with a much heavier accent.

"Nice to meet you," Jounouchi said. If his memory served him correctly, Isis had asked if there was nothing wrong with her brother as in singular, not plural.

"Malik, Marik, go back to the apartment and stay there," Isis said. "I will not have any backtalk from you two. When I come home tonight, you will have done your homework and your daily chores."

"Yes, sister," Malik said, but the other, addressed with Marik, just looked at her.

"Marik?"

"Yes, pretty sister," he finally said, but his voice sing-songed in such a way that Jounouchi felt shivers running down his spine. The two left and Isis heaved a sigh.

"My apologies," she said. "It was not my intention for you to witness my family…problems."

"They're your younger brothers? I have a younger sister. I know how much one wants to protect their younger siblings."

She gave him a grateful smile. "We moved to Domino City not long ago. We were raised in fairly old-fashioned traditions and this modern world is difficult to adapt to. They have much to learn how to behave in public."

"They're twins? The resemblance is uncanny."

Isis' expression became slightly marred, as if it pained her to talk about them. "No, not twins, just brothers."

"Why did he call me 'daimyo'? That's… not really an honorific one would use so quickly."

Isis shook her head. She sounded a little shaky when she answered: "Forgive him, Jounouchi-sama. Marik is the youngest and he is… still learning. He has so much more to learn. I will take a look at the picture for you, detective, and call you when I find out something new."

Jounouchi recognized a dismissal when he heard one. He thanked her for her cooperation and went back to the information desk and pulled Honda away, who was trying to flirt hopelessly with the girl. Protesting loudly, Honda poked him in the chest.

"What was up with you? Staring at her like that!"

"I was looking at the necklace," Jounouchi defended himself. "It had the same stylized eye as Bakura's ring."

"Eye?"

"Yeah, that thingie in the middle." Jounouchi grabbed his notebook from the glove compartment of his car, took out a piece of paper and drew the stylized eye. "This one. The same as Bakura's ring."

"Weird." Honda hadn't seen Bakura's ring, but he trusted his colleague. They returned to the police station in silence and searched out their desks. Rebecca had delivered a list with the artifacts Dartz had been importing and exporting, and she had also attached a list of his inventory, along with a written statement of Rafael that nothing was missing. Jounouchi and Honda checked the list, but the number of Ancient Egyptian artifacts was minimal. Most of his collection had been African, Numerian, Roman, Greek arts and crafts. Dartz himself was an avid collector of everything pertaining to Atlantis.

"Atlantis has nothing to do with Ancient Egypt, right?" Honda asked.

"We need a historian," Jounouchi groaned.

"Could the two CEO's be killed for an artifact?"

"What kind of thief leaves a priceless artifact behind?" Jounouchi asked out loud, referring to the ceremonial knife that had been stuck in Dartz' back. "I'm going to get us some coffee." been stolen. He went to the coffee machine, his mind racing a mile a minute. Find out if there was an active, if not illegal, market for historical artifacts. Check those Ishtar boys, that was really weird. Call the hospital to see if Amelda had come around yet. Ask Yuugi if he had made more progress on the profile. And where the hell were Pegasus' medical records? Was it that hard to translate a couple of pages from English to Japanese? He had lots and lots to do, and that was just the way he liked it.


	4. Chapter 4

After lunch, Jounouchi decided to spend his afternoon working his way through all the data and information acquired from Industrial Illusions and Paradius. He hoped to find more connections than just his feeble Ancient Egyptian link between the killed CEO's. He was alone at his desk; Honda had left to visit his colleagues at another department and he would be back soon enough. Jounouchi squinted at his laptop screen, when he noticed someone was approaching him. A gravely voice greeted him.

"Jounouchi," the man said as he took Honda's seat without asking.

"Hirutani," Jounouchi nodded in return. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" He knew his fellow detective from way back, from the time when they were in the same gang. Young and from broken families, both Jounouchi and Hirutani had used violence to establish their place in the world, using their fists and brawn to work out their anger and troubles. Jounouchi met Yuugi at Domino High School and left the gang as he learned the value of friendship and a life free from crime; Hirutani had taken longer to leave the gang and violence behind him. Since then, they both had become detectives, with Hirutani climbing up to the position of head of the specialized unit who investigated gangs. With his personal experiences, he was the perfect man to lead such a unit.

"I came bearing you a gift," Hirutani grinned, holding up a very thick file. "I didn't know you had met the Ishtar boys."

"What?"

"I saw your inquiry in the system," Hirutani explained. "About Malik and Marik Ishtar?"

Jounouchi's curiosity flared up. "If you're personally here… then they must belong to a gang."

"The Rare Hunters, to be exact. However, we can't really connect them to the gang. We _know_ they're behind it, but we can't prove it."

"What are The Rare Hunters about?"

"Burglary," Hirutani answered. "So far, we can at least link them to a hundred burglaries. We managed to apprehend a couple of Rare Hunters, but they refused to name names. I interrogated one, but it was like he was on drugs. Totally unresponsive and slow, I couldn't get any answers out of him. He stared at me with totally blank eyes, you know?"

Jounouchi reclined in his seat. He hadn't pegged the Ishtar brothers for gang members, but then again, he'd only seen them for a minute.

"How do you know the Ishtar brothers are connected to the Rare Hunters?"

"Surveillance. We caught a couple of Ryuzaki gang members weeks ago, and they told us bits and pieces after some… appropriate pressure. We also have some footage of the Ishtars talking to Ryuzaki himself, but it wasn't enough to arrest them. I'm keeping an eye on them, though." Hirutani scrunched up his nose. "It's very frustrating. They're Egyptian citizens and their big sister, Isis, has much influence here."

"Really? How come?"

"She has some kind of diplomatic immunity," Hirutani scoffed. "It applies to Malik and Marik as well."

"Does she belong to the diplomatic corps?"

"Not that I know of. Apparently she's held in high regards by almost every government official in Domino City. This 'diplomatic immunity' is a _carte blanche_ for her brothers to do whatever they want. Right now they're still street punks, but who knows how fast they'll turn into yakuza lords."

"Which reminds me," Jounouchi said, "when I spoke to Isis earlier, she asked immediately if there was something wrong with her brother?"

"You spoke to her? Well yeah, she should be no stranger to police investigations by now."

"No, you don't get it. She asked for her _brother_. Singular, not plural."

Hirutani scratched the back of his head. "My guess would be that she'd ask sooner about Marik than Malik."

"Which one is which again?"

"Malik is the one who looks normal," Hirutani said. "I had the misfortune to see Marik up close, once. I had arrested him and Malik for disorderly behavior and they had some stolen property: money and credit cards. When I looked at him, I noticed he hasn't any pupils. His eyes, Jounouchi… he was staring at me and I could see nothing but hate and anger in those eyes. He scared the fuck out of me, by just staring. And there's something else."

"What?"

"Marik… isn't right in the head. He has the body of a young man, yet the mind of a young child. He can read and speak Ancient Egyptian fluently, but he makes constant grammar errors in Japanese and even in Arabic. He can count, but anything more complex than adding and distracting eludes him. He doesn't know this is 'Japan'. He couldn't put an autograph on the statement."

"Are you telling me that he is…well, retarded?" Jounouchi didn't like to use that word and he thought back to the moment he had met Malik and Marik instead, but it had been too short to form a good opinion about them. Marik's voice wasn't hard to recall, though. _Konnichiwa, Jounouchi-daimyo._

"No, I don't think so. His intelligence is at an entire different level, but I don't know if I want to find out exactly how and what. It takes a very unique way to approach him and the only one capable of doing so, is big sister Isis. She swooped in like a hawk after the arrest and took them home without even posting bail."

"They obeyed her immediately when she corrected them," Jounouchi said.

"Yeah, but for how long will they obey? There's going to be a moment when they want to break free from sister dear, or simply when Isis can't keep them under her control. It will happen, sooner or later."

Jounouchi thought about the murdered CEO's. "Do you think one of them could be a killer?"

"Marik," Hirutani answered without hesitation. "He lacks compassion and empathy, a textbook psychopath. He got really upset when we told him Isis would be disappointed with his behavior, and he was almost bawling that his 'pretty sister' had to come down to the police station. The next second, he sent me a glare that promised imminent death. I've never been so glad as to get out of that interrogation room."

"I appreciate you're telling me all this, Hirutani."

"No problem, man. Talk to me again if you want to know more." He tapped on the thick file. "Here's some reading material for you. One more thing, though."

"Tell me."

"You know there's a crime spree going on as of late, don't you? Many reports of burglaries and robberies…"

"Yeah, I heard about it. Do you think the Rare Hunters are responsible? You said that you could link at least hundred…"

"Keep this under wraps," Hirutani interrupted him. "Yes, I think the Rare Hunters are behind it, and I don't like it how quickly they have risen through the ranks. If they're doing business with the Ryuzaki gang, the Haga gang will soon follow… and then we might have a big player in the gang world again, organized and efficient."

"A crime lord," Jounouchi said. "Malik or Marik Ishtar?"

"I'm not sure." Hirutani got up and tapped on the file again. "It'll take one strong guy to make all the gangs in Domino City listen to him. If he's got the Rare Hunters, Ryuzaki and Haga in his pocket, then we're in for a whole lot of trouble. I don't see any of the Ishtars capable of it, but you never know…"

"Keep me up to date, will you?" Jounouchi said.

"No problem."

* * *

Yuugi finished up his profile report not soon after. He read over it once more before submitting the final version to captain Ushio. He was convinced it was the same killer, though the modus operandi was a bit different with Dartz. The fact that his henchmen hadn't been killed and the ceremonial knife had been left in his body, led Yuugi to believe that the killer had been disturbed. He had to be; one as meticulous, careful and patient wouldn't have left the three bodyguards alive. Dartz had been the main target, the rest was collateral damage. If the killer hadn't been disturbed, they all would've ended up dead. So who, or what, had disturbed him? It wasn't Yuugi's job to find out. He was the psychologist, not the detective. With a few commands, he printed out copies of his report and took them to Honda and Jounouchi. His friends had been working the 'CEO killer' case day and night and it didn't help that Ushio was constantly pushing them for updates. They were frustrated and exhausted from the executive meddling.

"Let's go out for some _shogayaki_ ," Honda said. "I'm hungry!"

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Yuugi said. "What about you, Jounouchi-kun?"

"Yeah, let's take a break." Jounouchi put the paperwork on his desk on a neat pile - the captain made a big fuzz about sloppy people - when he noticed something. The technical unit had brought over a box with Dartz' personal belongings, among which his agenda. Jounouchi had studied it all afternoon long, hoping to find a connection between Dartz, Pegasus and even the Ishtars. Now he saw something that he had overlooked, staring himself blind on what was in front of him. In the corner of his agenda, Dartz had written in his neat handwriting: "Meeting Kaiba Seto." Pegasus had been looking forward to meeting Kaiba Seto. Both CEO's had been about to meet up with him. Both had been killed.

Well, _fuck._

* * *

Jounouchi didn't share his thoughts until they were at the restaurant and dinner was served. They deserved a break, so while eating, they talked about generic topics like the weather, movies and plans for the next weekend. Jounouchi ordered a second helping for himself and Honda, both boasting quite the appetite. He noticed that Yuugi was cutting his meat into unrecognizable pieces and barely touched the rest of his food. It would be typically Yuugi to lose sleep over the upcoming wedding of his friend, or so Jounouchi thought. Honda moved his chopsticks back and forth to help himself to some more cabbage.

"Yuugi, you're barely eating," he said. Jounouchi was relieved that he took the initiative.

"I'm sorry," was Yuugi's reply, as usual an apology. "I'm a little tired. I had to work hard to keep up with my patients and the work for Ushio-san."

"It's pretty intense," Jounouchi admitted. "You read and saw a lot of information that's hard for people to deal with. You stomached it well."

Yuugi shivered. "I wish I didn't have to see those pictures… but for the greater good…"

Yeah, for the greater good. Yuugi had always sacrificed his own wants and needs for the greater good, hadn't he? Jounouchi didn't know anyone who so selflessly put everything aside to help someone else.

"Guys, I do believe we need to go after Kaiba."

" _The_ Kaiba?" Yuugi's eyes went wide.

"Is there another Kaiba?" Honda snorted. Yuugi looked at Jounouchi.

"What do you mean, 'go after him'?"

"To warn him," Jounouchi answered. "I believe he's the next victim."

"You're kidding." Yuugi looked panicked. Kaiba Seto was a very important person in Domino City. If he was killed, KaibaCorp. would crumble and half of the city's economy would be gone. Jounouchi explained why he thought Kaiba would be targeted next, but Honda disagreed.

"Of course Dartz and Pegasus would have meetings with him, he's the most important CEO here," he said.

"Yeah, but the both of them were about to meet him, and both of them are dead. There's a crime spree going around town and two international CEO's have been killed. We can't run the risk that he'll end up being the third. The least we can do, is warn him."

"Kaiba will never listen to you," Yuugi said. "Everybody knows he's extremely head-strong."

"He doesn't have to listen to me," Jounouchi said, grim. "Only to the Domino City Police."

* * *

The next morning, Jounouchi and Honda drove to KaibaCorp., located at the other end of town, not in the Kuwogara business district. The imposing skyscraper, taller than Industrial Illusions and Paradius combined, loomed over the city as a reminder of the power and influence of its owner. Jounouchi refrained from joking about compensation for certain areas and parked the car in the underground parking lot. He was slightly frazzled, as captain Ushio had insisted that he and Honda took Yuugi with him, hoping that he, as a psychologist, could convince Kaiba to accept help as he could be in real danger. It was publicly known that Kaiba dismissed everything that he didn't regard as important or interesting, and two detectives of the Domino City Police wouldn't be enough to get the message across. They took the elevator to the ground floor. Jounouchi walked up to one of the girls manning the tall reception desk and showed her his badge.

"We'd like to talk to Kaiba," he said.

"Kaiba-sama is on a strict schedule," she said, scrunching up her nose. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Lady, if you haven't noticed this," Jounouchi waved his badge into her face, "you'll know that Kaiba-sama will make time for us, because we're the Domino City Police and here to save his ass!"

She looked intimidated, but she was still unsure whether to call for Kaiba or not.

"Please," Yuugi said. "It's very important that we speak to Kaiba-sama. His life could be in danger."

Yuugi's friendlier tone brought her defenses down. She reached for her phone and talked to someone for a brief moment. "You can take the elevator," she said, "42nd floor."

"Thank you." Yuugi showed her a smile and followed Honda and Jounouchi to the elevators.

"Stupid Kaiba and stupid secretaries," Jounouchi grumbled.

"She was just doing her job, Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi said good-naturedly.

"She should jump because of my badge! What if there's a fire? An earthquake? Is she going to tell Godzilla to fuck off because he's not scheduled to rampage through the city?"

Honda chuckled. The elevator raced to the 42nd floor and when the doors opened, it wasn't Kaiba waiting for them. It was his younger brother.

Kaiba Mokuba had been vice-president of KaibaCorp. since he was seven, and both brothers were loyal to each other beyond any doubt or question. Grown up in an orphanage, they had been adopted by Kaiba Gozaburo who drilled them to become his successors, with violent and harsh means. Mokuba had managed to escape this treatment, but Seto got the full brunt of it. Everything changed when Gozaburo committed suicide, leaving the company in the brother's hands, who managed to take over and expand internationally. Mokuba might be younger and less ruthless than his brother, he was still a business man with a cruel youth and not about to take everything for granted. He bowed formally. Mokuba wasn't as infamously tall as Kaiba and he kept his hair long opposite Kaiba's short crop. He was much more approachable and open than his brother and Yuugi was slightly relieved that they got to talk to him first.

"My apologies, detectives," Mokuba said. "It's not very often that we have to deal with Domino City Police. KaibaCorp.'s own security is more than capable to deal with anything that crosses our path."

"Not with this," Jounouchi said, curtly. "Is there someplace we can talk?"

"We'll go to Seto's office," Mokuba said. He went ahead and opened the door to a large office, double as large as Pegasus' penthouse and a space where Jounouchi's entire apartment building could fit in. He whistled. His eyes went automatically to the unoccupied, large desk.

"Where's the swimming pool?" Honda asked. Mokuba made a dismissive gesture. From this floor, the view was breathtaking. On Mokuba's invitation, they walked over to the seating area and he crossed his arms in front of his chest, mimicking Kaiba's well-known stance.

"All right, what's so important that the police would like to talk to my brother about?"

"We'd rather talk to Kaiba himself, no offense," Jounouchi said. "I don't like to tell the same story twice."

Mokuba stared at him. "I can assure you that I can perfectly judge what information will have to be relayed to my brother or not." His voice went cold and business-like and Jounouchi was about to retort when Yuugi spoke up.

"His life could be in danger, Mokuba-kun. You've been keeping up with the news, I presume? The death of Pegasus-san and Dartz-san?"

Mokuba nodded. "Yes, I know. It's awful." He was quick to jump to the right conclusion. "As they were CEO's, you think that Seto is in danger?"

"Both CEO's had meetings scheduled with your brother," Honda said. "Both had international connections, just like your brother. We're looking at every angle to prevent another death."

"I see," Mokuba said, taken aback by the word 'death'.

"It's the biggest nonsense I've ever heard." Kaiba Seto swept into the large office, carrying a silver suitcase that he unceremoniously dumped on his desk. The typical coat with the large, flaring coattails he always wore emphasized his tall stature and impressive posture. While everyone was flabbergasted, Kaiba took his seat behind his desk, opened the suitcase and took out his laptop.

"Mokuba, send them away. I have no time for claptrap like this."

"Kaiba-kun, you should really hear us out." Kaiba's death glare at being referred to with the honorific '-kun' would be enough to burn Yuugi to a crisp. Jounouchi could hear the tremble in his voice, but he admired his friend for speaking up. "Two people have already died. We have reasons to believe that you could be the next target."

"Very weak reasons," Kaiba said. "I talk to CEO's all the time and I don't see anyone of them dead. There's absolutely no connection between Pegasus, Dartz or me that would put my life in danger."

"What makes you so sure?" Jounouchi asked.

"Pegasus wanted to talk to me about a game he had designed. Dartz requested a meeting, but I don't know what it was about. I never met them in person. Talk to my secretary. That's all."

"So you just think it's a coincidence that they ended up dead before meeting you?" Honda asked. Kaiba brusquely shrugged.

"I trust the competent detectives of the Domino City Police to solve the case," he said, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in his voice. "I don't see at all what I've got to do with it."

"Like my colleague said, we have reasons to believe that you're the next," Jounouchi said. "Our captain believes it could be a serial killer. Two international CEO's have already perished and you're an obvious target."

"That's great. KaibaCorp.'s security can deal with anything that's thrown at it."

"Also when it's supernatural?" Yuugi suddenly asked. The temperature in the room went down with a full ten degrees.

"Excuse me, what?" Kaiba's voice was just as chilly as the room.

"The killer has a certain set of skills that are borderline supernatural," Yuugi said. His face turned red, but he stood his ground. "Nobody has seen him enter or leave but in a 'flurry of dark and gold', and he uses ancient artifacts to kill."

"That's some imagination," Kaiba said dismissingly. "Why should I give any thought to something supernatural, something I don't believe in?"

"Yuugi is a psychologist and a professional profiler," Jounouchi defended him, "and you should better listen to what he has to say. We have studied these cases extensively and you don't know what you're rebuking, Kaiba. You don't stand a chance when this killer comes for you."

"Do you really think that someone could approach me that easily?" Kaiba snorted. "Try to approach me then, detective. See what happens."

That was all the invitation Jounouchi needed and he lunched forward to grab Kaiba at the throat.

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi yelled but in mid-air, Jounouchi was shot down by lasers, paralyzing his body and he fell to the ground, shaking and twisting as if someone had attacked him with a taser. Yuugi wanted to run towards him, but Mokuba stopped him.

"Don't!" He pulled Yuugi at his arm, away from Jounouchi. "The lasers will affect you as well if you touch him. You have to wait a couple of minutes!"

Not a second after he finished his sentence, the KaibaCorp. security arrived on the scene, armed to the teeth. They swarmed around Jounouchi, weapons drawn. Honda held up his badge, but the team only backed off after Kaiba dismissed them with a wave of his hand. Jounouchi slowly turned around, wiping at his mouth.

"Is that all?" he said, his voice croaking. "I've had worse beatings on the streets."

"If you had a gun in your hand, the system would've assessed you as a bigger threat and it would've reacted accordingly." Kaiba's smirk was infuriating, and Jounouchi trembled; not from the humiliation, but from pure rage and the aftereffects of the shock.

"How would a system be able to assess a threat?" Honda asked, dumbfounded.

"This is what I do," Kaiba said. "I design programs and systems. Virtual Reality. Self-operating, intuitive software and technology. I'm sure it's all above your simple minds. Now leave my office. There is no threat or danger and I refuse to take anything 'supernatural' seriously. I had high esteem for the Domino City Police, but you're all a bunch of bumbling fools."

Yuugi looked at Mokuba. "Please, Mokuba-kun. For Kaiba-kun's sake."

"I'm sorry," Mokuba said, but he didn't sound very apologetic. "You've seen how our system reacts and I have more faith in anything my brother designs, than any protection the police can offer us. We have nothing to fear. Many people have tried to steal our company's secrets, our equipment and prototypes... I appreciate the time and effort, but everything's fine."

"Kaiba-sama?" A burly bodyguard, dressed in a black uniform with the white KC logo on it, stepped forward as if he wanted to remove Yuugi, Jounouchi and Honda the hard way.

"Escort them out of the building," Kaiba said. He wasn't paying attention anymore, occupied with his laptop. Jounouchi made a crude gesture with his hand, before walking out of the office. The burly bodyguard caught up to him, taking his job very seriously. Jounouchi's eyes darted over the man, out of habit. Next to the KC logo was a small name badge with "Toshiko Watanabe" printed on it, positioned next to another logo: Zorc Security.


	5. Chapter 5

"What an ass," Jounouchi said as he left the building. Honda shook his head.

"You acted like an ass too."

"Why were you so mad at Kaiba-kun?" Yuugi asked, sauntering behind them.

"I hate rich boys," Jounouchi snarled. "Uppity rich boys who think they're above the law just because they have a big pouch of money."

"Jounouchi-kun, Kaiba-kun was raised in an orphanage," Yuugi reminded him.

"Even worse," Jounouchi gave back. "Self-made millionaires have such big egos, like 'look what I've achieved, you lowly peasant'!"

"You're not making any sense, Jounouchi." Honda tried to calm him down. He knew that Jounouchi had grown up in an abusive household with his alcoholic father, and that he had to struggle and work hard to get where he was now. "Let's get Yuugi home, okay?"

"Okay." Jounouchi dug up the car keys from his pants pockets. He turned towards Yuugi. "Why did you mention 'supernatural' in Kaiba's office?"

Yuugi looked embarrassed. "I don't know, really. It's just that… well, from what I read from your reports, especially in Dartz' case, the killer almost isn't human. I mean… no one saw him, in an office made entirely out of glass, and he could incapacitate three strong bodyguards in a matter of seconds…"

"I never figured you'd be interested in the supernatural," Jounouchi said, who shuddered at the thought of anything otherworldly. He'd never been fond of scary ghost stories either. Yuugi made a dismissive gesture. "It's not really important, Jounouchi-kun. Never mind."

A slightly uncomfortable silence hung between them until they reached the car. Honda opened the door for Yuugi. He hesitated before getting in.

"I'm sorry guys," he said, "I really tried to convince Kaiba-kun."

"Stop apologizing, Yuugi," Jounouchi said. "You did your best."

"How are you feeling?"

"Slightly zapped." Jounouchi grunted. "Then again, this little demonstration showed me once more that there are absolutely no connections to these cases, whatsoever. Pegasus: games. Dartz: artifacts. Kaiba: technology. It just doesn't make any damn sense!"

"Don't give up, Jounouchi-kun. There has to be something… and you'll find it."

"Just great," Jounouchi said. He appreciated Yuugi's support, but it just dawned to him that he was going to have to report back to Ushio, and the captain was going to grill him alive over his lack of tact and provoking Kaiba. He looked over his shoulder at the impressive skyscraper, and he had the sudden feeling that not even Kaiba's precious technology would keep the killer out. But what would he know? The killer had eluded him so far… "I'm going to pull a double shift tonight."

* * *

Ushio wasn't present at the police station, much to Jounouchi's relief. Together with Honda, he went over every document, every file and every record of the two cases. They studied the pictures of the two crime scenes and dug through all the paperwork. It was getting late; the cleaning crew was taking care of the offices, deposing of the trash and mopping the floor.

"Maybe we should call it quits for today," Honda said, yawning. "We're hopelessly stuck, Jounouchi."

"I know." He was too tired to be upset. Every connection, every link and every theory so far had been rebuked. No secret lovers, no enemies looking for revenge, no disgruntled employees. Pegasus and Dartz had known each other as they had met on business networking events and Pegasus had actually expressed interest in Dartz' artifacts, but he had never followed through and no further contact had been established. "Yeah, we should call it quits."

His cell phone started ringing. Jounouchi exchanged a look with Honda.

"Just answer it," the other said.

Jounouchi picked up his phone. "Moshi moshi?" He listened in and then his face lit up like a Christmas tree. He thanked the person on the other side of the line and disconnected.

"What?" Honda asked.

"Amelda has woken up and he's able to talk. Let's go to the hospital!"

* * *

At this hour, Domino City hospital was enveloped in a quiet, almost eerie atmosphere of absolute silence. Jounouchi had to refrain from tiptoeing around, as he didn't want to disturb the serene rest of the patients. Walking quietly but briskly, he reached Amelda's room and briefly knocked on the door. Amelda's face was as white as the hospital sheets and he craned his neck a little to see the two detectives enter. Next to his bed sat Varon, arms crossed and slouched in a chair with a blanket over his legs, firmly asleep. Amelda made a 'silent' gesture with his fingers pressed against his pale lips. Jounouchi kept his voice down.

"Where's Rafael?" he asked.

"He was here this morning," Amelda answered, sounding extremely fatigued. Honda noticed the empty food tray on the medical cart; Amelda had been eating, but undoubtedly Varon had also shared in the meal.

"How are you?"

"I don't know," Amelda said. "I feel as weak as a kitten. I can barely lift my arms." He turned his head to Honda, a movement that seemed to take whatever energy he had left, out of him. "It's so weird. My body doesn't listen to me."

"What does the doctor say?"

"My body's functioning normally, albeit at a slower level. There's no permanent damage of…whatever happened. He expects me to make a complete recovery… but slowly, very slowly."

"I'm glad to hear you're going to get better," Jounouchi said, genuinely compassionate. He might be a little rough and curt around the edges sometimes, but he didn't wish death or bad things upon anyone. "Can you tell us what happened?"

"Dartz asked us to help out with a shipment," Amelda said. "Varon and Rafael were joking about what we were doing, and I was just laughing along. We often do shipments for Dartz and if it's local, we deliver it ourselves. I had to ask Dartz something about the address, so I went into his office."

This waterfall of words depleted the rest of his energy and Amelda closed his eyes, his chest slowly rising and falling. Jounouchi mouthed at Honda: "Did he fall asleep on us?"

Honda shrugged and mouthed back: "Let's wait a couple of minutes."

As if on cue, Amelda opened his eyes again. Honda took the glass of water from the cart and handed it to him; he took a few sips.

"Thank you." Amelda shifted around to lean on his left side. He continued talking: "I had just entered Dartz' office, when all hell broke lose. I heard Varon scream and I turned around to see what was going on. He was on the floor, catching his arm, and Rafael… it happened so fast, so fast. Before I knew it, I was on the floor myself, pushed aside like a piece of paper."

He cleared his throat and added sourly: "I know I look frail compared to a powerhouse like Rafael, but I do stand my own. I've had extensive training and I know how to respond in critical situations. However, I don't think anyone could've foreseen this."

"Could've foreseen what?" Jounouchi asked.

"An intruder…" he didn't say 'killer', "…with such speed and such… strength. I never felt something or someone touch me, yet I ended up on the floor as if hit by a freight train. Dartz was already dead and I heard laughter, and a strange language."

"Can you identify the language?"

"No." Amelda shook his head, visibly upset. "I know Japanese, a little bit of English and my native language… but nothing comes even close to what I heard that guy speak."

"That 'guy'," Jounouchi's voice rose in excitement, "can you describe him?"

"I was losing consciousness," Amelda defended himself. "My vision was blurred, my head was spinning. I saw him… he wasn't that tall, but he had very conspicuous hair."

"Very conspicuous hair," Jounouchi parroted. "Like what?"

"Like this." Amelda moved his hands up to form triangular shapes around his head. "Spiked, black with red tips and yellow bangs framing his face. Something gold, too… I've never seen something like that before, ever! I couldn't see his face, but that hair! Before I lost consciousness, I wondered why a criminal would want to carry such a striking feature. I'll never forget the way his hair looked."

Jounouchi's blood turned into ice. He purposely didn't look at Honda, knowing he was thinking the same. He had a picture of Yuugi on his cell phone, taken when they had been goofing around one day. He was sorely tempted to show the picture to Amelda, but he feared the answer.

"You really couldn't see his face? What else did you see? Clothes? Can you describe his clothes?" He pressed on until he was startled by Varon, who tugged at his shoulder.

"That's enough for now, please," he said. "Can't you see he's exhausted? He needs his rest." He motioned at Honda. "Detective? This way."

Varon worked them out of the hospital room, but not in a hostile manner. "Come back tomorrow," he said, "or any other day you want. As you've seen, his energy is very limited."

"We understand," Honda said. "What's going to happen to him, and you for that matter?"

"Our employer will find us new clients," Varon grimaced. "Bodyguards are very much in demand now that two CEO's have been killed and others are threatened or burgled."

Jounouchi frowned. "Your employer? Don't you mean Dartz?"

"No," Varon said. "Oh, did no one tell you? He hired the three of us from Zorc Security Inc.. Rafael already has another client and I can take my pick of the litter, but I want to stay with Amelda. To look after him, you know. I don't like to see a friend of mine alone in a hospital."

"That's kind of you," Jounouchi said. He appreciated such loyalty. Varon seemed to be a little flustered by the compliment. They said their goodbyes and not a few meters outside the hospital room, Honda said, aghast: "What the hell? He described Yuugi!"

"I know, but that's impossible," Jounouchi said. "He was losing consciousness. He was suffering from trauma and shock. He had just seen someone killing his boss."

"He's a witness, Jounouchi," Honda said, sounding like he was eating a mouthful of lemons. "He described Yuugi's hair to a T. Don't tell me there are many more people with the same hair."

"His eyesight was blurred." Jounouchi gritted his teeth. "He said he was losing consciousness, he wasn't thinking straight! He wasn't seeing straight!"

"Jounouchi!"

"Shut up!" Jounouchi increased his pace, but no amount of physical distance between him and Honda made a difference in their similar thoughts.

"It's late," Honda pointed out. Jounouchi didn't even deign to give an answer. His knuckles turned white from the grip he had on the steering wheel. The quaint building where Yuugi lived was well-lit by the street lanterns, and his apartment on the second floor was modestly lit. Jounouchi hadn't expected Yuugi to be up at this hour, running close to midnight.

"It's not possible," he said, repeating himself for the umpteenth time.

"I know. How do you think I'm feeling? That I'm happy to arrest him?"

"Of course not. We have to follow procedures."

"Procedure is, to have Amelda draw up a sketch in collaboration with our sketch artist. Procedure is, to have Amelda look through mug shots. We both know our fucking procedures and we both know Yuugi personally. If we hadn't, we'd be looking for a guy with an eccentric hairdo for the rest of our lives."

"But we _do_ know him," Jounouchi said curtly, "and we know him very well. Well enough that he's not a killer."

"What's the big deal anyway?" Honda asked, but he sounded nervous. "We can prove in a heartbeat that he has nothing to do with either Pegasus or Dartz. He has never been to their companies, he has an alibi…"

"You damn well know that the captain will take us off of this case as soon as he figures out how well we know Yuugi. Heck, even without that knowledge, he'll take us off the case. Yuugi worked together with us to draw up that profile, and the captain will want to avoid conflict of interest at all costs."

"This case is ours," Honda grumbled. "The other teams are far too incompetent." He left it at that, obviously torn. Jounouchi opened the door of the car. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to tell him."

"That's breaking every rule, Jounouchi." Honda had already stepped out of the car as well. Muttering under his breath, he followed his colleague and crossed the road. Jounouchi was at the door and knocked a few times. He'd been here so often that the whole bizarre nature of this situation made his stomach turn upside down. For a moment, he thought that Yuugi wasn't home, that he had left the lights on - but where would plain, average Mutou Yuugi go to at this time of hour?

The door slid open.

"Jounouchi-kun, Honda-kun," Yuugi said, the surprise obvious in his voice. "Come in!" Yuugi would never deny them entrance, no matter what time or day. Jounouchi and Honda stepped inside and followed him upstairs. Yuugi went straight to the kitchen to make tea. "Yuugi," Jounouchi said. Better to get the bad news out first.

"Yes, Jounouchi-kun?" Yuugi turned on the water cooker and fumbled around with the teabags.

"Yuugi, it's about the CEO killer," Jounouchi said.

"I knew you would solve this case!" Yuugi arranged the teabags. "Congratulations!"

"No Yuugi, it's about…" His tongue was totally tied, "…someone described you as being… present when Dartz was killed." Jounouchi couldn't get it over his lips. 'Yuugi' and 'killer' simply didn't belong into one sentence.

Yuugi dropped the rest of the tea. "Me? _Present_? I… of course not, Jounouchi-kun! I have never heard of Pegasus-san and Dartz-san before, and I'm not the kind of person to…"

"Your hair," Honda spoke up, "the witness described your hair into detail."

Maybe Yuugi realized that Jounouchi's 'someone' went to 'witness' in Honda's words, but his first reaction was to bring up his hand to his hair and touch it, as if he was checking it was still there. It would've been either silly or endearing at any other moment, but not now.

"M-my hair? But…"

Jounouchi decided to intervene before Yuugi would drop the water cooker on the tiled floor and he took it out of his hands.

"Sit down, please, Yuugi," he said. "It's not as serious as it sounds." That was probably the worst thing he could've said, because as soon as Yuugi sat down at the kitchen table, he started to shake uncontrollably. Jounouchi felt bad. He shouldn't have come here. He should've talked to Ushio first and leave it to the captain. Jounouchi knew the procedures and he knew his friend - and Yuugi came first, before every procedure, damnit. For a moment, he thought that the other was hyperventilating, but Yuugi got himself under control and stared at Jounouchi and Honda with his large eyes.

"I don't understand," he finally said. "It doesn't make any sense."

"Could there be someone who dislikes you?" Honda asked, even if he couldn't imagine there would be anyone disliking Yuugi.

"I… I don't think so."

"What about a patient of yours?" Jounouchi had been so upset that he hadn't entertained the thought that someone might be trying to frame Yuugi. "Someone who's capable of doing this? Someone with a grudge, trying to get revenge? Someone who could imitate you?"

"I… I don't believe that any of my patients would or could do that, honestly! This is a mistake, a very big mistake…"

"Listen Yuugi, we know that you're not capable of doing… what has been done." Jounouchi still refused to say 'killer' and 'Yuugi' in one sentence. "I want to get to the bottom of this. So if you know anything…"

Yuugi slouched in his chair. "No, none of my patients come even close. I have never had a patient with a grudge against me."

"We'll have to check your files," Honda said. "We'll go through them to see who could match the profile."

"Absolutely not. That's doctor-patient privilege!"

"Yuugi, your files will be examined anyway if we're going to investigate," Jounouchi said, his stomach turning upside down once more. "This is a lead we have to follow. More so, our captain will do it himself if he finds out. We're trying to help you."

"I know, and I'm very grateful for your help," Yuugi said. He shivered. "I'm not afraid of the police procedures and I don't want you to risk your jobs, Jounouchi-kun, Honda-kun. It's not worth it. I have faith in the system."

Silence. Jounouchi knew he couldn't force Yuugi to talk about his patients right now, but he also believed Yuugi that he didn't know anyone who wanted to hurt him. Maybe it didn't have to do with pain, anger or revenge. Maybe a patient had decided to frame Yuugi simply because he was the easiest target to frame. He didn't want to think about that, as he could already see the toll it was taking on Yuugi.

"You know, I'll stay here for the night," Jounouchi spoke up. The couch in the living room would do perfectly.

"I'll stay here too," Honda immediately offered. "You shouldn't be alone right now, Yuugi."

"Thank you, guys." Yuugi was still shaky. "I really appreciate it. You're the best friends anyone could ever ask for. I don't want to impose on you. Go home and get your rest, you'll need it."

"Yuugi…"

"A night on the couch isn't going to help," Yuugi said. "I… want to think about all this. Please."

"If you're really sure," Jounouchi said, hesitantly.

"Yes, I am." Yuugi took a deep breath. "You told me before to stand up for myself more often, Jounouchi-kun."

"You certainly pick the weirdest moment to do so, Yuugi. We're genuinely worried about you."

"I know. It's not easy, for none of us. We all better get to bed and get up safe and sound in the morning."

* * *

Jounouchi tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep. He was restless and spend his time waking and dozing. After a couple of long hours, he decided to get up. Sleep wouldn't come for him this night and the broken dreams tired him out, instead of resting up. Sighing, he glanced at the alarm clock. It was four in the morning and he yawned. He could go down to the station and try to get some work done, like typing up Amelda's report. Jounouchi shuddered at the thought. The captain was following their progress like a hawk, he would recognize Yuugi from Amelda's description. Ushio wouldn't waste one minute to arrest him. Could there really be someone else with a hairdo as freakily similar as Yuugi's? Jounouchi splashed cold water into his face and tried to fix his hair, before throwing on some clean underwear, a pair of jeans and a baggy shirt. He couldn't help but shiver once more. It wasn't cold at all in his apartment, but that sinking feeling that something bad was going to happen, wouldn't leave him. His kind, gentle, not-hurting-a-fly friend had just been accused of murder, what could be worse?

Through the deserted streets, Jounouchi drove to the police station. Nobody from the graveyard shift was surprised to see him and he sat behind his desk, after treating himself to a large mug of coffee. The caffeine was perforating his already upset stomach. He felt awful. Jounouchi checked his mailbox. Mako had sent him the autopsy report on Dartz. He decided to keep that for later, not in the mood to read about death in the early morning. Sometimes an autopsy report could reveal surprising details, but at the moment, Jounouchi didn't want to deal with it. He assumed Dartz had bled to death due to the stab wound anyway. Going through all his files again, Jounouchi was surprised when the display of his cell phone lit up. He flipped the device open. "Hirutani," he said. "What's up?"

"Jounouchi, you're the only one who can help me!" His colleague breathed heavily, his voice panicked. "Go to interrogation room 4!" Muffled screaming, a loud roar and a lot of unidentifiable noises, then the line went dead. Alarmed, Jounouchi grabbed his gun and ran to the interrogation rooms, located on the ground floor. Number 4 was at the end of the hallway, and a few other colleagues had gathered in front of the one-way mirror, looking aghast and pointing at was happening inside.

"What's going on? What are you doing here?" Jounouchi snarled.

"We don't dare to go in," a young officer whimpered.

"Where's Hirutani?" The same officer pointed at the one-way mirror. "Where's the captain?"

"On his way! Do something, Jounouchi!"

Usually, Jounouchi would've stormed in without using his head; something compelled him to look through the mirror first. Hirutani was driven into a corner of the interrogation room and Jounouchi immediately recognized the one towering over him; the wild hair and the strange, pupil-less eyes with definitely the craziest look that Jounouchi had ever seen, were a dead giveaway. Marik Ishtar was fucking _strong,_ the muscles in his upper arms showing and rippling as he held Hirutani effortlessly down, laughing out loud and yelling at the same time in a language that wasn't remotely close to Japanese.

Jounouchi grabbed the young officer at his arm and shook him back and forth. "Call Isis Isthar from the national museum," he barked at him. "Call her! She can calm him down!" He let go of him and, with one hand on his gun, Jounouchi entered the interrogation room.

"Marik!" he called him out, but he didn't receive a reaction. "Marik! Let go of him!" What was he supposed to do? Shoot him? Hirutani gurgled. Jounouchi decided to try physical force first and grabbed one of Marik's arms to pull him away from Hirutani. He couldn't get him to budge. Jounouchi pulled harder, trying to take him into a headlock, but Marik didn't move an inch. More so, he focused the rest of his strength on Hirutani, his fingers digging into his throat. The detective started to choke as his air was cut off, powerlessly beating against Marik's chest. Jounouchi tugged and pulled. Marik was a solid force, and he was going to kill Hirutani if he didn't do something, right now! He took one of the fold-up chairs, lifted it high over his head and smacked it down with all his might on Marik's back. He didn't even flinch, but he stopped choking Hirutani. Laughing, Marik turned around, showing Jounouchi a large, warped smile, baring his teeth.

"Konnichiwa, Jounouchi-daimyo," he said, his voice low.

"Marik, please calm down," Jounouchi said, surprised that Marik recognized him - and surprised that Marik was still standing. Jounouchi wasn't a wuss; he had used all of his strength when he slammed the chair down. Its legs were bent and he threw it aside.

"I am the darkness," Marik said, taking a step towards Jounouchi. Combined with his unnerving smile and his weird eyes, Jounouchi didn't like what he was seeing. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, mixed with fear. He had been through life threatening situations before, but he had never felt as scared as for this young man, with the emotional range of a seven year old, wasn't that what Hirutani had said? "I am the darkness!"

"You are the darkness," Jounouchi repeated, much calmer on the outside than he was on the inside. "Tell me what I can do for you. Can I help you?"

"You can die," Marik answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "He's coming, you know. The ultimate darkness, and then it'll be too late for you, your friends and everyone in this world. Except for me. I'll welcome the pain and the burning, and it will be wonderful and glorious."

Jounouchi nodded. "I understand. Can you tell me more about this darkness? Is he the one who's coming?"

"You won't recognize him. You're not worth his time, you're not worth his attention. You're nothing but a grain of sand under his feet. The darkness is pretty, you know. He's golden and dark. Red eyes like blood, dark lines like the depth of a grave. He's beautiful, pretty pretty darkness mine, and you're not worth his gaze."

Jounouchi braced himself, his body tensing up. Marik had picked up the chair and dragged the piece of furniture behind him, fingers clenched around the crooked, bent leg. Hirutani was on the floor, unmoving, far too silent. Drops of sweat rolled over his face.

"A beautiful, pretty darkness," he repeated.

"Yes, yes, he's beautiful and merciless, deadly and lovely, dark and cruel! You don't know him. You don't have the right to come close to him! You need to die! All of you need to die!" Marik moved so fast that Jounouchi had barely enough time to lift up his arms, to fend off the inevitable blow. Bracing himself for the impact, he suddenly heard a sharp voice, calling out Marik's name and he stopped, the chair hovering in mid-air.

Jounouchi lowered his arms again. Isis stood in the middle of the interrogation room, her posture rigid, her eyes blazing fire.

"Marik, put the chair down."

Marik did immediately as she ordered. The chair clattered to the floor. "Sit," she said, and without protest, Marik sat down on the other chair, at the table. Jounouchi ignored her for now and quickly made his way over to Hirutani. To his relief, he had just kept quiet, weakened and unable to help Jounouchi during the brawl. He could hear Isis in the background, talking in Arabic to Marik. Jounouchi helped Hirutani to his feet.

"Are you all right?"

It took Hirutani a couple of tries before he could speak. "Let's go to my office."

"No, you need medical attention," Jounouchi said sternly. Hirutani touched his throat, and made a sour face.

"I'm all right. I'll just have a gruffer, sexier voice from now on."

"My apologies, detectives." Isis appeared calm and composed, all natural. "I would like to accompany you to your office."

"What about him?" Jounouchi made a crude gesture at Marik.

"He's under control now," Isis said and lo and behold, Marik had put his head on his arms, as silent as a sleeping toddler. "We can leave him here."

"I need a glass of water." Hirutani's voice croaked and broke the awkward moment.


	6. Chapter 6

Isis sat at Hirutani's desk, hands gracefully folded in her lap. She was wearing the same typical dress as when Jounouchi had met her at the National Museum; he assumed it was a type of traditional Egyptian garb. He was more worried about his fellow detective, though; Hirutani looked like he'd been run over by a freight train. His skin was swollen and already showing discoloration from the imprints of Marik's brute strength.

"Looks like I'll be wearing high-collared shirts for a while," he said.

"I cannot apologize enough, Hirutani-san," Isis said. "I will understand if you press charges."

"I'll decide about that later. For now, I'd like to know what this was all about, Ishtar-san."

She looked up, a proud woman with a protective ferocity in her eyes. " _I_ would like to know what you used to trigger him, Hirutani-san. You did see the difference, did you not?"

Silence. Jounouchi mouthed "Trigger?" at Hirutani, but he didn't receive a reaction. He had the feeling he was watching a grave conspiracy develop in front of him, but everyone was keeping him out of the loop on purpose.

"What difference?" He finally asked, when nobody offered an explanation.

"Marik was speaking in grammatically correct, full sentences, and you understood him, correct?" Ishizu asked. "You understood what he was talking about."

He shifted in his seat. "I wouldn't say that I _understood_ him," Jounouchi said. "He was talking about the darkness and how beautiful it was." Marik's ramblings hadn't been as disturbing as that crazed look in his pupil-less eyes and the apparent ease he wanted to kill Huritani with. From the corner of his eye, he could see Isis shudder. It was barely noticeable and for a split second she closed her eyes, breathing steadily.

"I want to know what triggered him, Hirutani-san."

Hirutani hesitated. His hand went to the top drawer of his desk and he took out a sealed evidence bag. "I arrested him while he was carrying this."

"It is a ceremonial dagger!" Isis gasped. "I…"

"It's evidence in a murder case," Hirutani said. "We found Marik wielding it, not far from the KaibaCorp. building."

"Impossible." A multitude of emotions crossed her face: regret, disbelief, acceptance, slight anger and it was gone just as fast as Jounouchi noticed it. "Marik has no real sense of the world," she finally said. "Or no sense of the real world."

"Look, Ishtar-san," Hirutani said, uncomfortable. "We received an emergency call about a dangerous knife-wielding person and from the description, I figured it was Marik. I went to pick him up myself. After all, I've dealt with him before."

Isis nodded solemnly and Jounouchi realized that the hidden frustration wasn't aimed at Hirutani, but at Marik. What was this woman hiding?

"The knife is evidence in an ongoing murder investigation," Hirutani repeated. "I asked Marik about it and he immediately launched into his maniacal rant about the darkness." Isis remained silent. Jounouchi was dying to know what was going on in her mind. "The big question is, of course, where did Marik get the knife?"

"I do not know." She met Hirutani's gaze head-on. "If you could not get it out of him, I certainly cannot. Like I said, Marik has no sense of the real world. What he finds, he uses. What he dislikes, he discards. It is already a heavy burden to bear, Hirutani-san. He cannot go to school. He cannot hold a job. He often does not know where he is. He talks about darkness and death often, and he scares me."

"I understand, Ishtar-san. It's not easy for you." Hirutani's stern features softened. "Taking care of someone with… special needs can put a lot of strain on a family. Have you ever considered other options, like putting him in some kind of home?"

"Or an institution?" She didn't seem to be offended by Hirutani's words. Both men picked up on the wave of frustration in her voice and her composure. "I do not wish for people to die, Hirutani-san. And people _will_ die when I lose my sight on him."

An awkward silence. This time, Isis avoided eye contact and stared at her hands.

"People will die..? That was exactly what Marik was talking about, Ishtar-san. Is there something you'd like to tell us?"

She straightened herself. "This will be enough for now, Hirutani-san. I will take Marik home with me."

"I'm afraid that won't be happening, Ishtar-san," Jounouchi cut in. She stared at him and he was shocked by the harsh, cold look in her eyes. He steeled himself quickly - he was the detective, after all. "Marik has stolen a valuable, key piece of evidence and now it's contaminated with his fingerprints. We have to find out where or whom he got it from. More so, he intimidated and assaulted not one, but two police officers."

"You have no right to accuse him of theft," Isis went on the defensive. "Besides, Jounouchi-san, you assaulted him as well. Marik goes home with me. If you need to question him, you will do so in my presence."

"No," Hirutani said, shaking his head. "I'm going to take him into custody, Ishtar-san. After…"

The door flew open and Ushio, captain of the Domino City Police, stormed into the office, filling up the small space with his large presence instantly. Hirutani and Jounouchi jumped up from their chairs but Isis didn't move, not startled in the least.

"Isthar-san, my apologies," Ushio said, bowing to the woman. "I have called a special unit to escort you home. Please, feel free to leave at your leisure."

Jounouchi's jaw dropped. "Captain," he protested, but Ushio cut him off.

"You'll offer your apologies to Marik Ishtar," he said. "Assault with a chair! What were you thinking, detective?"

"He wasn't even fazed by it!" Jounouchi cried out.

Ushio turned to Isis and offered her his hand, which she gracefully accepted. Her slender fingers disappeared into the large ham of his hand.

"Thank you, captain," she said. The look in her eyes was nothing triumphant, just a matter-of-fact glare that she had every right to be treated with this kind of gallantry.

"This way, Ishtar-san. Do you require any more assistance?"

Jounouchi couldn't hear her answer as he was too busy trying to process what just happened, watching her retreating back. Even Hirutani was completely dumbstruck and they were still gaping and gawking when Ushio returned. He slammed the door close.

"What the fuck?" Jounouchi finally managed to get out. "What's going on?"

"Diplomatic immunity," Ushio said. "We have to be very grateful if she doesn't press any charges against _you_ , Jounouchi, for assaulting that whacko with the chair."

"He was choking him!" Jounouchi pointed at Hirutani. "Look at his neck!"

"I know." Ushio rubbed his jaw, clearly torn. "I don't like it one bit either, but even the mayor holds her in very high regard. We could be in a lot of trouble if we don't pay her the proper respect."

"What about him?" Jounouchi pointed once again.

"You can press charges all you want, Hirutani," Ushio said. "They simply will be swept under the rug."

"Because of her diplomatic immunity?" Jounouchi bristled.

"Her diplomatic immunity is what it is, immunity," Ushio answered.

"So she gets away with theft, assault and attempted murder? Why does the immunity even apply to her brothers?"

"Brother," Ushio corrected him. "Apparently, she demanded this when she was invited to Domino City."

"Just wait a second," Jounouchi exclaimed. "She was _invited_ to Domino City? She's a museum employee, not an ambassador! Why does she have diplomatic immunity in the first place, and why are her demands met? Why is everybody fucking talking about her brothers in singular?"

"Marik Ishtar doesn't exist." Ushio dropped his bomb.

"Come again?"

"I filled in his social security number the first time I arrested him!" Hirutani snarled.

"You booked Malik Ishtar, not Marik," Ushio said, his voice gruff. "Don't get me wrong, this frustrates me just as much as it does you."

"What's the deal with these people?"

"All I know is that they're the last descendants from an ancient nomadic tribe in Egypt," Ushio said. "They lived underground as Tomb Keepers, but don't ask me whose tomb, or what they exactly did… the children were born underground and never registered. Isis was the first to enter the system, for whatever reason. Her brother got a social security number when she came to Domino City with him. It was one of her demands."

"What the fuck…" Jounouchi tried to keep calm. The Ishtars had demanded privileges and gotten them without a second guess. "Malik has a social security number, but not Marik? I repeat: what's the deal with these people? What's so goddamn important about them that they can make demands at any cost?"

"I really don't know." Ushio looked defeated. "Every time I ask a question or try to find out more, I'm stopped dead in my tracks. Once, the mayor himself told me that if I appreciated being the captain, I should stop digging."

"That's horrible! Because of their so-called diplomatic immunity, they can get away with murder?"

"We have no lead or evidence that any of the Ishtars are involved in the CEO-killings," Ushio said sharply. "Don't jump to conclusions, Jounouchi."

"Marik is the enigma here," Hirutani mused. "He talked about the darkness before, but not as coherent or as threatening as now. He's obviously psychotic, and Malik doesn't have any control over him."

"And their sister shields them, using her position and her diplomatic immunity. Captain, what happens if they're involved with the murders?"

"In the worst case scenario, we'll have an international, political scandal on our hands. I doubt they'll want to stay in Japan when incriminated..."

"Good riddance," Jounouchi said.

"We have a lot of work to do," Ushio said curtly. "Jounouchi, you take Hirutani to the hospital. As soon as you get there, interrogate that Amelda guy who witnessed the attack on Dartz. I received news that he has woken up from his coma."

"Yes, captain," Jounouchi said, meekly.

* * *

On their way to the hospital, no words were spoken. Hirutani finally broke the silence, his voice hesitant.

"Jounouchi… what's wrong?"

"Huh? What?"

"You haven't uttered a word since we got in the car. I know we're not best buds, but we are colleagues and our cases overlap. We should be working together, not giving each other the silent treatment. What are you mulling on?"

Jounouchi shrugged. He tried to buy himself some time to come up with a plausible answer. Hirutani knew him from back in the day that they had joined a gang, and he would see right through him if he lied. Besides, Jounouchi didn't like lying anyway.

"I've already spoken to Amelda," he finally said.

"Really? Why didn't you tell the captain?"

Jounouchi parked the car and turned the engine off. He waited for a moment, then looked at Hirutani. "Off the record, just between us?"

Hirutani nodded, lips drawn in a tight line. He understood the meaning of the situation.

"When I spoke to Amelda…" Jounouchi started. "When he described what he had witnessed, he identified a good friend of mine."

"Fuck," Hirutani said immediately. "I'm sorry to hear that, Jounouchi."

"You don't get it," Jounouchi bit at him. "It's impossible! My friend is a good person who has never hurt a fly. He has no connection to the CEOs whatsoever, no motive…"

"I know, Jounouchi. But we also know that our friends can turn against us, or have a darker side than we could ever imagine."

"If he had ever hurt a fly in his life, he'd nurse it back to health," Jounouchi said. "Listen, it's impossible that he has anything to do with the CEO killings."

"Then, what's the big deal?" Hirutani tilted his head, his voice becoming raspier. "If he's truly as innocent as you claim he is, I don't see the problem. Should he ever be accused, then his innocence will be proven quickly." When Jounouchi didn't answer, he continued: "You're in doubt, aren't you? About your friend?"

"Amelda described him into detail." Jounouchi shivered at the thought of Yuugi being involved in criminal activities. It just didn't make sense. He wouldn't believe it until the moment he saw it. "I guess I wanted to believe that Amelda's mind was jumbled, distorted, but he was lucid and expressed himself well."

"So, he's a very reliable witness." Hirutani grunted as his voice failed him. "I want to help you, Jounouchi, but the pain is killing me. Can we go see a doctor?"

"Yeah, sure, of course." Jounouchi got out of the car and closed the door. "Just a minute," he said. Hirutani looked aggravated.

"What?"

"The ceremonial knife," Jounouchi said. "Why did you have it in your desk drawer?"

Hirutani turned red in the face. "I know it's not according to procedure," he said. "I confiscated it from Marik upon his arrest and I sealed it into an evidence bag before interrogation. I should've logged it into the evidence register immediately."

"It's okay, I'll take care of it," Jounouchi said. "We have to work together. Now, let's get you to a doctor."

While Hirutani was being looked after, Jounouchi send Honda a text message that he was at the hospital and he would call him later. Honda send a message back that he'd be waiting for him at the station. Jounouchi pocketed his phone and went to see Amelda. Ushio didn't appreciate procrastination, and the truth had to come out, sooner or later. He had to ignore his personal feelings and act like the detective he was. Taking a deep breath, Jounouchi knocked on the door of Amelda's room.

"Enter!" Amelda immediately recognized Jounouchi and a tentative smile spread across his lips. "Good morning, detective."

"Good morning, Amelda." Was it really still morning? He felt like he had been up and running without a moment of rest for two days. "I see that you're feeling much better."

Amelda had much more color to his face and looked well-rested. "The doctor told me that I can leave in two days. I really want to get back to work! My employer already has a new client for me."

With the current crime spree, Jounouchi didn't doubt the market for bodyguards was skyrocketing. "Zorc Security, right?"

"Yes. He's shown great interest in my recovery."

"He?"

"Zorc Necrophades himself," Amelda said, awe in his voice. "The man in charge of Zorc Security. He even paid the hospital bill."

"That's amazing!" Jounouchi wished the Domino City Police would show just as much empathy as this Zorc guy. "I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to come down to the police station and record your official statement."

"Of course," he said. "Any progress?"

"We have a suspect," Jounouchi said, feeling sick to his stomach. He kept his facial expression as neutral as possible. "There's nothing you'd like to add or to change about your statement, is there?"

Amelda shook his head. "No. I'm very convinced of what I saw. I'll never forget it. That intense red…"

"You mentioned something like golden…?"

"Or blonde, I'm not sure of the exact hair color but of the rest, I'm willing to bet my life."

"All right," Jounouchi said, though he wished he could ignore the nausea building up. _If he's truly as innocent as you claim he is… … then his innocence will be proven quickly._ Yeah, but his best friend's life would also be destroyed. "Thank you for your cooperation. I wish you all the best."

"Thank you, detective." Amelda reclined back into the cushy pillows and closed his eyes.

* * *

With a heavy heart, Jounouchi wrote his report and mentioned meticulously what Amelda had said. Honda wasn't too happy about it either.

"The worst thing that could happen is that the captain wants to bring him in for interrogation," Honda said. "He has worked with Yuugi to draw up the killer's profile, for crying out loud. He'll realize quickly that it's just not possible. Yuugi doesn't fit the profile and he has no motive, no connections to the CEO's. We're detectives, Jounouchi. We're here to prove his innocence."

"The captain will take us off of the case immediately, and you know it." Jounouchi gritted his teeth. "I don't want anyone else investigating this case. It's ours!" His phone went off and he took it out of his pants pocket. His eyes went wide as he saw the number on the display.

"What is it?"

"It's the number of the captain!" Jounouchi paled. "Do you think he already knows..?"

"Answer the phone," Honda urged him, but he had paled just like his friend. Jounouchi flipped the phone open.

"Moshi moshi? Captain?" He listened intently and hung up after mere seconds.

"What's going on?"

"Breaking and entering in progress at the Kaiba Manor!" Jounouchi grabbed his coat and car keys. "The alarm system went berserk with intruder alerts and all communication is cut. Let's go! If this is the same motherfucker, we'll catch him!"

* * *

The impressive manor was surrounded by police cars. Jounouchi pulled up to the front of the Kaiba residence and jumped out of the car, almost tripping over his own feet.

"Situation?" He yelled.

"Unconfirmed number of intruders," an officer said, "and we don't know if there's a hostage situation going on. We're awaiting orders from the captain!"

Jounouchi figured that the manor had the same security system Kaiba had demonstrated at his office. Nobody else but Kaiba knew how to operate it, which put him at an incredible disadvantage.

"What do we do?" Honda asked him. "Wait for the captain?"

"No. We're going in," Jounouchi said. "Give me a radio!"

The officer handed him one and he clipped it to his belt. Honda followed suit.

"Wait for my signal," Jounouchi said. "Check the perimeters and have the men patrol the area. If someone who's not me, Honda or Kaiba, comes running out of that house, you're going to arrest him, got it?"

The officer bellowed a "Yes, sir!" and immediately passed the orders on.

The door to the manor was open. Two men were lying on the floor, unconscious. Jounouchi didn't bother to check their pulse, he could see their chests rise and fall. He didn't know who they were; bodyguards, he assumed - apparently Kaiba didn't rely only on his computer system after all. Guns drawn, Jounouchi and Honda advanced through the hallway.

"Where could Kaiba be?" Honda whispered. "We can't search the entire manor with just the two of us, Jounouchi."

"He must have some kind of study or personal office," Jounouchi said. Honda rolled his eyes.

"Yes, but _where_? The manor is bigger than the police academy and Domino High combined!"

"He could be anywhere." Frustrated, Jounouchi gritted his teeth. "I'm taking the second floor," he said.

"Split up?" Honda asked.

"No, we should stick together. I don't like to be surprised by an intruder running around here," Jounouchi said. "Let's go!"

He didn't have a solid explanation for taking the second floor, just his gut instinct. He should've waited until more back-up had arrived, so they could comb through the manor systematically; however, Jounouchi had also the gut feeling that he had no time to lose. The intruders were still on the premises, and they had to be the same people who had managed to get into Dartz' glass office without being seen. He realized he was thinking of the perpetrator as 'they', as Kaiba's alarm system had signaled multiple intruders; it just couldn't be the work of one person, could it? He moved up the grand staircase, knowing that Honda had his back. The hallway to the right looked ominous and dark.

"Be careful." Jounouchi moved forward. The second floor had windows, right? And it was still daylight, right? Why was it so dark here? "Honda?"

"Right here." Honda's voice sounded a little distorted. "What's wrong with the lights?"

"There's light!" Jounouchi saw a flicker of red in the distance. Maybe the warning light of the alarm system? He approached it, careful and cautiously. Sounds. Voices. People talking. Kaiba? Jounouchi moved closer, gun in his hand. His other hand went to his radio and he plucked it from his belt. "I located the intruders on the second floor," he said. "Send back-up!" No answer. No confirmation. Jounouchi turned his head around. "Honda?" He was surrounded by darkness. His breathing became labored. The adrenaline pumping through his body spiked with his sudden fear; there was no telling what was up or down, left or right, behind him or in front of him. This darkness wasn't the kind of darkness that could be chased away by switching on the light. _The darkness is pretty, you know. He's golden and dark. Red eyes like blood, dark lines like the depth of a grave. He's beautiful, pretty pretty darkness mine, and you're not worth his gaze._

The voices! Jounouchi tried to orientate in the dark, determining the direction from where the voices came from. Two voices, male… not Japanese, not English... he couldn't identify the language. He tried to suppress his fear. He would find a way out of this. Focus and concentrate. This crippling darkness… wait, there it was, that shimmer of red! Along with the voices… he cocked his gun. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the upcoming confrontation. His entire body tensed up and he was about to take a step forward, when the darkness lit up with an ominous, circular glow, accompanied by an eerie sound. Much to his horror, Jounouchi recognized both the object and the sound: the chiming prongs of the mystical 'ring' Bakura Ryou had shown him. The antique artifact lit up so brightly that it cast an eerie glow on its wielder: Bakura Ryou. Jounouchi gasped - that was impossible! How…! Despite the darkness, Jounouchi could see it wasn't the polite delivery boy, even though it took him precious seconds to realize it. He looked much older, with narrower, harsh eyes and his lips drawn into a bloodless, cruel grin. Jounouchi's hand started to tremble.

"You.. are… under…" His voice was squeaky and unintelligible. His terror increased. This wasn't really happening. Jounouchi Katsuya wasn't afraid of anyone. He had fought his way up in one of the most notorious gangs of Domino City, he had survived his abusive childhood, he had arrested criminals and murderers. No one was able to cast such fear, such menace with just one look, but Bakura Ryou - he thought of him as Bakura Ryou - did it effortlessly.

Another glow in the dark revealed the presence of another person and Jounouchi aimed his gun at the newcomer. The shape was triangular, and the light was… _different,_ somehow. It felt warm compared to the cold glow of the ring. Jounouchi couldn't make out what the triangular shape represented, but its light illuminated its wielder and his heart skipped a beat.

"Yuugi…?" He asked out loud. Fiery red eyes turned to him, a stern face framed with golden bangs, and the last thing Jounouchi remembered was the _sound_ of jewelry and he fell to the ground.

* * *

He awoke because of the voices. Someone was talking at rapid speed with an unmistakable tone of authority: Kaiba, and someone tried to argue with him, to no avail.

"I don't pay millions of yen a month for this worthless kind of service! You failed to protect what is the most valuable to me! You're fired! You're all fired! Now get out before I have you all arrested for gross incompetence and facilitating attempted murder! Get out!"

Funny, Jounouchi thought, had someone actually tried to kill Kaiba? Really? He recognized the second voice: captain Ushio.

"Kaiba-sama," the honorific -sama sounding weird coming from him, "please, calm down. What happened is bad enough, but now we have evidence, thanks to your security system."

"I want everyone involved reported and arrested," Kaiba was angrier than before, "and I'll sue everyone until they're committing ritual seppuku, goddamnit!"

Jounouchi opened his eyes and wiggled a little. He was on a sofa, supported by a multitude of cushions and Honda sat next to him, obviously relieved.

"Captain! He's come through!"

"Jounouchi! You scared the fuck out of everyone! How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, how come?" Jounouchi shook his head. He didn't feel any pain. What happened?

"I lost sight of you, and when I found you again, you were on the floor," Honda said. "Gun in hand and totally unresponsive. I was afraid you were in a coma, just like that Amelda guy."

"No, no, I'm fine."

"Maybe you should go to the hospital," Ushio suggested.

"I don't have time for everyone goddamn rolling on the floor here to get taken to the hospital!" Kaiba barked from the other side of the room.

"What the hell happened?" Jounouchi asked.

"Kaiba's brother," Honda lowered his voice. "Mokuba. He was almost kidnapped! The bodyguards were taken down first, to which the security system reacted, apparently surprising the kidnapper. He had already managed to subdue Mokuba."

"No way! Is he okay?"

"He was injected with a sleeping agent," Ushio filled in. "He's in his bedroom, safe and sound." Kaiba was about to say something, but decided against it and left it at a brusque snort. "Kaiba-sama has every right to be upset. This was a very close call."

"But… why his brother and not Kaiba?"

"We don't know yet," Ushio said and stared at Jounouchi. "That's why I employ you and Honda. If you're really feeling all right, then I want you back to work this case 24/7. You'll have the assistance of every department you need and unlimited access to every database. I want this solved. If the kidnapper could come this close to Mokuba, the next one will be Kaiba-sama himself."

"Do you believe it now, Kaiba?" Jounouchi couldn't help but ask.

The tall man snorted loudly again, but he didn't answer. That was a small victory in itself. Ushio took Kaiba apart to talk about something and Honda turned to Jounouchi again.

"You really okay? Man, I really thought you were dead. You still look as pale as a ghost."

"Yeah, and I know exactly why," Jounouchi said, miserably.

"What are you talking about?"

"When I was in the hallway, just before I passed out…" he took a deep breath. "I saw Yuugi."


	7. Chapter 7

The coffee tasted like crap. One of Kaiba's many butlers had made a pot and Jounouchi was drinking it like there was no tomorrow. The caffeine only added to the adrenaline surging through his body and intensified the waves of nausea, almost making him gag. Jounouchi held onto the coffee mug as if it was his last lifeline. Bile rose up in his throat. He had really seen Yuugi. Yuugi… and _not_ Yuugi. His friend didn't have narrow, red eyes. _The darkness is pretty, you know. He's all golden and dark. Red eyes like blood, dark lines like the depth of a grave_. Gold. Jounouchi had seen gold. He had seen red eyes and he had seen dark lines. _Yuugi_. How could this be? The butler refilled his cup and Honda's again and asked if he could bring the gentlemen other refreshments, or something to eat?

"How's Mokuba doing?" Honda asked.

"Mokuba-sama is resting," the butler answered. "He hasn't sustained any injuries, fortunately. The physician couldn't find anything and he didn't think it was necessary for Mokuba-sama to visit the hospital."

"Good," Jounouchi murmured. The butler turned around to leave and Honda waited until he was out of earshot.

"You said you saw Yuugi," Honda said. "How is that even possible?"

"I don't know," Jounouchi said, downtrodden. "I just don't know. I saw him in the hallway, and it was… it was him, and it wasn't him."

Kaiba stalked over to them. "You've seen who's behind all this? Who are you going to arrest?"

Damn, that guy had good ears! Jounouchi finished the rest of his coffee to stall for time.

"We have a possible suspect," he said. "I recognized him from an earlier… meeting."

"Then what are you waiting for? Arrest him!" Kaiba towered over him, his face a marred mask of anger. It wasn't directed at him, though - Jounouchi recognized the hidden fear and worry: Kaiba had come very close to losing his brother, and the fierce protectiveness resembled his own towards his sister Shizuka.

"Kaiba-sama," Ushio tried to guide him away again, "my detectives are on top of this. Let's go over the security footage."

 _Video_? "Awesome," Honda voiced Jounouchi's thoughts. "If the fucker shows his face, we can identify him easier." _And probably rule out that it's Yuugi after all._

"Believe me, he'll be sorely regretting showing his ugly mug," Kaiba threatened. "When I know who this guy is, I'll make his life a living hell!"

"Kaiba-sama," Ushio urged him again. "Let the detectives do their work."

Grunting, Kaiba once again moved away and ordered his personnel around to retrieve the security footage and bring the tapes to his office. The tall CEO left the room and Ushio was right behind him. The ensuing silence was awkward, yet a bliss for Jounouchi to straighten out his thoughts. Honda was looking at him, curiously. They hadn't finished their conversation about Yuugi. Jounouchi knew that Honda wouldn't blab about it, but still he thought he'd better kept it to himself. He and his big mouth! He should talk to Yuugi in private, preferably right now.

"It was him, and it wasn't him." Jounouchi repeated, shivering at the memory. "There was something wrong with his eyes, man."

"What do you mean, his eyes?"

"His eyes were smaller, and red."

"Red?" Honda tried to come up with an explanation. "Maybe he was under the influence of something?"

"What kind of drugs changes an entire eye color?"

"We could always look into it, you know, ask a professional…"

Jounouchi realized what Honda was doing: grasping at straws as to come up with a plausible excuse to exclude their friend. Honda's loyalty touched him; he knew Yuugi would do the same if the situation as reversed.

"It has to be someone trying to frame him, for whatever obscene reason," Honda muttered. "Can you imagine Yuugi breaking through high-tech security, putting guys down twice his size and then kidnapping Kaiba Mokuba?"

It was a preposterous thought, but Jounouchi couldn't imagine Bakura Ryou doing something similar, yet he had seen him in the hallway as well. Something had been off, just like with 'Yuugi', only much more than just a different eye color. "I want to bring in Bakura Ryou," he blurted out.

"Huh? The delivery boy you questioned during the Pegasus' investigation?"

"Yeah. I saw him too."

"You're sure about that? You passed out in the hallway, you're not exactly a reliable witness…"

"That's what we said about Amelda," Jounouchi gave back. "He was sure of what he saw, and I'm sure of what _I_ saw. Get your coat. We're leaving!"

"Shouldn't we wait for the security footage?" Honda asked.

"We're. Leaving! Now!"

* * *

Jounouchi raced to Bakura Ryou's address. Honda didn't comment on his driving, he was used to his partner's aggressive style of moving through traffic. They reached the apartment building within minutes and Jounouchi parked his car unceremoniously on the pavement. Before Honda had the chance to properly leave the car, Jounouchi was already at the doorbell and stabbed the button. Bakura's voice was pleasant and welcoming when he said "Hello?"

"Bakura Ryou, Domino City Police," Jounouchi answered sternly. "Open the door!"

The buzzer went off and Jounouchi busted open the door, followed by Honda. He didn't bother to take the elevator and ran up the stairs. Just like their first meeting, Bakura was standing outside the door of his apartment, a shocked look on his face.

"Bakura Ryou, you are arrested for breaking and entering into the Kaiba Manor and the attempted kidnapping of Mokuba Kaiba!" Jounouchi pulled out a set of handcuffs.

Bakura stared at him, wide-eyed and mouth wide open. "Wh-what? Who? Jounouchi-sama, what are you talking about?"

"Turn around, Bakura," Honda said gruffly. "If you put up any resistance, it'll count against you!"

"B-but…"

"I saw you at the Kaiba Manor," Jounouchi said. He closed the handcuffs around Bakura's wrists. "Where is your Ring?"

"M-my Ring? It was st-stolen," Bakura said. "I don't know where it is!"

"I'll have the technical unit search your apartment." Jounouchi turned Bakura around, forcing the young man to look at him.

"No! Please don't!"

"You're not hiding something, are you?" Jounouchi shook him at the shoulder. Bakura gaped at him like a fish. "You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to hire a lawyer at your own expense."

"I don't have a lawyer," Bakura protested. "I have never been to the Kaiba Manor, not even to make a delivery!"

"Let's go." He had 48 hours to keep Bakura in detention, and the clock had just started ticking. Honda took Bakura by the elbow and started to guide him away. Jounouchi followed them, not listening to Bakura's pleas. He didn't feel happy about this, not at all.

* * *

"Bakura Ryou, 26, lives on an inheritance and a small wage as a delivery boy for Catering Service At your Home, _Anata no ie de_." Honda read the text from his laptop. "No previous criminal record, not even a parking ticket."

"He doesn't own a car," Jounouchi said. "He can't drive due to his black-outs. I have to ask Rebecca to retrieve his medical records. Which reminded me, did Pegasus' records ever arrive?"

"All the way from the US? I haven't seen them yet."

"I'll ask Rebecca about it. For now, we have to prove that Bakura was in Kaiba's house and if we can tie him to Dartz as well, we don't need his medical records at all."

"About his black-outs," Honda said. "You know that his lawyer's going to use that to exonerate him? Poor, suffering, little boy, who's struggling to make ends meet and still be an upstanding member of society."

"He didn't ask for a lawyer yet," Jounouchi said. "Well, let's go visit him in the interrogation room and strike the iron while it's still hot."

Honda nodded.

The interrogation room was the same one as where Marik Ishtar had attacked Hirutani, not long ago. Shivering at the memory, Jounouchi entered the room. Bakura was sitting at the table on one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs, clearly not at ease.

"Jounouchi-sama," he pleaded again, "this is all a big misunderstanding. Please let me go home."

"I'm sorry, Bakura," Jounouchi said. He felt genuinely sorry. He simply couldn't shake the feeling that it was _wrong_. Was someone trying to frame Bakura, just like Yuugi? But then again, his eyes hadn't deceived him. He _had_ seen Bakura… albeit a hateful, angry Bakura. "Where have you been all night, and can someone testify to your whereabouts?"

"I was at home," Bakura answered. "I was working on my figurines. I didn't have deliveries this night. Where else would I be?"

"At the Kaiba Manor, breaking and entering," Jounouchi said.

"Attempting to kidnap and possible murder," Honda said, keeping his voice cruel on purpose. Bakura looked at Jounouchi again, pleading. "Murder? I'm not like that!"

"Can anyone vouch for you?"

"No," Bakura said, voice soft. "Nobody pays attention to me and I don't pay attention to people around me."

"Too bad," Honda said. "Do you always keep to yourself like that? What are we going to find in your apartment, Bakura? Knifes? Ancient Egyptian artifacts?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bakura answered, clearly confused. "But if you manage to find my Ring…"

"You showed me the Ring when I first met you," Jounouchi said.

"Don't lie, Bakura!"

"No, honestly! I can't find my Ring! It's been stolen!"

"And who would want to steal such a precious artifact?"

"I don't know! It's gone! It was a gift from my father, and I feel terrible for losing it!"

"You can file a report about your stolen Ring later," Honda said sarcastically.

"N-no," Bakura said, shivering. It was cold in the interrogation room and he wrapped his arms around himself. "This is a misunderstanding. I barely leave my apartment, unless I have to work or to buy groceries."

"If it's all a misunderstanding, explain how you could be seen at the Kaiba Manor," Honda pressed the issue.

"I don't even know where that is! I'm sorry, but you're talking to the wrong person!"

"You were _there_ ," Jounouchi said, "I saw you myself!"

"I haven't left my apartment at all! What do you want from me?"

"How do you know Kaiba?"

"I don't know him!" Bakura looked sickly pale. "He's the CEO of KaibaCorp., but that's common knowledge! I've never met him in person!"

"Bullshit!"

"Please, believe me! I've never been to the Kaiba Manor!"

The interrogation went on and on for hours, to no avail. Bakura drew into himself, shivering and miserable, and after a while, he simply shut down. It was going to be a long night. Jounouchi knew he was walking a fine line. If the captain found out he was interrogating the suspect himself, he could get into serious trouble for conflict of interest. He was the witness in this case, he shouldn't be interrogating Bakura right now as his opinion was colored.

"I'm going to get something to drink," Honda finally said. He gave Bakura a pitiful look. "Should I bring something for him as well?"

"Yeah," Jounouchi said. "I don't want him to get dehydrated. Can you get me some water?"

"Sure. I'll be back in a second." Honda got up and left the interrogation room. Jounouchi used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe off the sweat from his brow. Despite the low temperature in the room, the intense interrogation and playing good cop, bad cop constantly, had almost overheated him and he longed for a shower. Silence. Bakura stared in front of him, totally catatonic. Now that Honda was gone, Jounouchi took the opportunity to talk to Bakura like a friend, referring back to their first meeting.

"Look, Bakura…"

"How dare you," Bakura answered, but it wasn't his soft, meek voice. The hairs on the back of Jounouchi's neck went up straight. "How dare you treat my yadonushi-sama like that?"

 _Landlord?_ Jounouchi opened his mouth to ask what he was talking about, when suddenly the table was turned over. The piece of furniture hit him full in the stomach and Jounouchi lost his balance, skidding over the floor and ended up against the wall, the edge of the table painfully pressing in his abdomen. The wind was knocked out of him and Jounouchi grunted in pain. With all his might, he pushed against the table, but the furniture didn't budge. Bakura Ryou stood up from the chair, slowly and completely calm. A round shape appeared on his chest: a golden circle with five prongs, which started to dangle and chime ominously. _I could hear the jewelry._ Jounouchi tried to keep his breathing under control, struggling against the heavy weight of the table. _This_ was the Bakura he had seen in the hallway at the Kaiba Manor, not Bakura Ryou, the delivery boy.

Bakura took a few steps forward and closed the distance between him and Jounouchi, but not close enough so that the other could touch him. He looked down at Jounouchi, his brown-reddish eyes glaring, and a devilish, distorted grin on his face, dripping with contempt.

"He's not here," he said. "He can't stop me. You're going to die, meddling detective. Your mind will be torn apart by darkness, and your soulless body will be all that remains."

 _Again with the darkness_. That was a recurring theme that had to be important, but the connection eluded him still.

"The darkness," Jounouchi repeated breathily, "tell me, is it pretty and red with dark edges like a grave?"

That seemed to distract Bakura. He tilted his head and showed Jounouchi a crooked smile by baring his teeth.

"I knew it," he said, not withholding the triumph in his voice. "Marik is here as well."

"You know him?" Jounouchi tried to slip his hand into his pants pocket to get his cell phone out. The device had a recording function; if he could record this somehow, it would help Honda when he investigated his death… as Jounouchi was sure he was going to die at the hands of this motherfucker with that shiny, glowing Ring that all but hypnotized him.

"He doesn't have an Item yet," Bakura said and cackled. "That's why I couldn't find him. That's why I only could find the other. Oh yes, pretty red and darkness indeed! He's mine, all mine!"

"An Item?" Jounouchi could hear the capital I in the word, if only by the way Bakura pronounced it with obvious reverence. Jounouchi had an inkling that this Bakura wasn't quick to show reverence for anything at all, so it had to be extremely important. He could barely breathe, his body crushed by the increasing weight of the table. "What kind of Items are you looking for?"

"You have no idea what you're getting into," Bakura said, sounded pleased. "Don't break your brain over it, detective. I'll separate your soul and body, and take what's mine."

Jounouchi hissed. This was it. He wasn't going out in a blaze of glory, he was going to die buried under a piece of cheap, plastic furniture that was never supposed to be this heavy. _Fuck_! He'd rather die in a hail of bullets than checking out like a total wimp in the corner of an interrogation room. Something tugged at him and the room started to spin. Was this dying? This seasick motion, the spinning, the vertigo? No hallelujah, no white light, no angels or wings? The table was lifted from his chest and with the weight gone, he inhaled as deep as he could, the large gulp of breath so sharp that he started to cough. The next second, he was sitting at the very same table, with Bakura in front of him, as if nothing had happened.

 _As if fucking nothing had happened._ Jounouchi blinked, totally disorientated. The door opened and Honda entered, carrying a tray filled with sodas and bottles of water.

"Something to drink," Honda said and put the tray on the table. "Water for you…" Jounouchi looked up at Honda. "What's the matter? You look like you have seen a ghost or something."

"A ghost…" Jounouchi turned his head towards Bakura. Slowly, he got up and walked around the table.

"What are you doing?" Honda asked, incredulously. Jounouchi put his fingers under Bakura's chin and lifted up his head. Bakura stared back, his eyes totally empty, totally void.

"Bakura," Jounouchi said. "Bakura, can you hear me? Tell me about the darkness. Tell me everything you know."

Silence. Honda instinctively felt that something was going on that he didn't understand yet, but he was so adjusted to his partner and vice versa, that he didn't interrupt, trusting the other to know what he was doing. Jounouchi leaned into Bakura, desperately trying to break his trance.

"Tell me about Marik," he said. Was that a slight twitch he saw? He tried again. "Tell me about Marik, yadonishi-sama."

"Stay away from him," Bakura whispered. His hand went up, fingers tracing circles across his chest.

"Do you know where your Ring is?" Jounouchi said. He immediately regretted his choice of words. The mention of his Ring turned off the lights in Bakura's head; his eyes glazed over with that defeatist, empty look again. Jounouchi would've felt sorry for him, if he hadn't witnessed and experienced what had happened just a few minutes ago.

"Who else is there, Bakura? Who else?"

"I want my Ring."

"Who's the one you keep talking about? The pretty darkness with red and dark lines like a grave?"

"I want my Ring."

"Bakura! Who else? Who _else_?"

"I want my Ring."

"What the hell's going on?" Honda spoke up.

"He's manipulating us," Jounouchi said. "He tries to fool us. He's much stronger than this. He plays the victim, the poor guy without friends or family, all alone. But there's someone inside him who totally knows what's going on."

"Someone _inside_ him?"

Jounouchi made a dismissive gesture. He didn't want to talk about it right now.

"Maybe a night in detention will bring him back to his senses," Honda threatened. Usually, that got a rise out of most people, but Bakura didn't protest at all, life and spirit having left him. Jounouchi looked at Honda, who shrugged. The 48 hours weren't up yet; they could hold Bakura for at least one night.

"Take him to one of the detention cells," Jounouchi said. He had managed to cover up the excruciating pain in his abdomen. He didn't know how to tell Honda. His hand was resting on the offending table with a plastic cover; how had it been possible for the thing to weigh so much that it was pressing the life out of him?

As Honda was taking Bakura to the detention cells, Jounouchi went to one of the bathrooms and splashed ice cold over his face. What the hell was going on? What was all this talk about the darkness? Who was the 'he' both Marik and Bakura had referred to? Bakura had spoken Marik's name without a hitch, but when he had mentioned that other person, he had been distracted. The other 'he'… could there be a third nutjob out there? Bakura's speech about the darkness was similar to Marik's. Suddenly, it didn't seem like the ramblings of a madman anymore. Something was up. Something was brewing and it was beyond his comprehension, he was sure of it. He couldn't see the big picture, he couldn't connect the dots. What was eluding him? He grunted. Jounouchi straightened himself and lifted up his shirt in front of the mirror. His abdomen showed the imprint of the weight of the table, the skin already showing an impressive bruise. He grunted again. He hadn't imagined what had happened - it all had been very real. He just had had a brush with death and only now it started to sink in. He opened the faucet again and stuck his hands under the running water. The cold water was strangely soothing. His thoughts trailed off. How could he possibly comprehend everything that was going on, as it exceeded his imagination? All this talk about darkness, the mysterious powers he witnessed, the strange people involved, and that was just scratching the surface. It was unsettling to think that the unknown third person was going to even surpass the darkness that the other two had mentioned. He shivered.

"Jounouchi-san?" He whipped his head around. A cadet stood in the door of the bathroom, slightly nervous. "Apologies, but captain Ushio is looking for you."

"All right, thanks." Jounouchi shut down the faucet and dried his hands. He tried to fix his hair a little, took a deep breath and decided not to stall any longer. He went into Ushio's office and found the captain behind his desk, his big hand on Jounouchi's report. _Just great._

"You do realize we both know who you're writing about in this report, even if you don't call him by the name," Ushio said.

"With all due respect, captain, we have no grounds to arrest him on," Jounouchi said. "Bakura was seen at the Kaiba mansion."

"Yeah, only he was seen by _you_."

Jounouchi was silent. The captain was often derogative. Ushio arched a heavy eyebrow.

"No, I'm serious. He was seen by you and by you only. I've gone over the security footage, twice, with and without Kaiba, and he's not recorded. Not for a single second."

"How..?"

"I watched two beefy guys, who could probably lift me with one hand and spin me around, going down in just one second. We studied the footage and spliced the images, but there's nothing to be seen. There's absolutely nothing that indicates someone touches those guys. No visible impact, no weapon, nothing. They just stand there and the next second, they're on the floor. Just like that." He snapped with his fingers.

Jounouchi didn't know what to say to that. He wanted to tell about the incident in the interrogation room so badly, but he decided against it.

"I don't know Mutou Yuugi as well as you do," Ushio continued. "I hired him as a profiler and he did excellent work. I pride myself in having good judgment of character, Jounouchi. Your friend couldn't lift up a gun or a knife even if his own life depended on it. Unfortunately, he's been described by Amelda, and Amelda's a reliable witness."

"I know. Captain, Yuugi has been my friend for a long time..."

"I noticed from the way you were working together," Ushio cut him off. "Solving the case takes precedence over your friendship, you know that."

"I know." Jounouchi braced himself.

"However, in this case I'm willing to make an exception." Ushio narrowed his eyes. "Like I said at the Kaiba Manor, I want this case solved. I don't like the thought of a serial killer on the lose, attacking CEO's, international or not. We're dealing with a meticulous, cunning psychopath who's searching for something, probably extracting revenge. Someone with great patience, someone who plans into the finest detail and who doesn't care how long he has to wait to strike."

Jounouchi couldn't help but smile, as that had been the major conclusions in Yuugi's profiling report.

"I'll take full responsibility for this," Ushio said, "so remember, Jounouchi, that my ass is on the line as well. Here's what I want you to do. Take Yuugi to Kaiba's manor and have him psycho-analyze the hell out of him. Kidnapping Mokuba was just an attempt to get to Kaiba himself, and I'm very sure this psycho will be back. This time, we'll be ready for him. Now get out of my office and back to your work!"

"Yes, captain!" Jounouchi all but jumped out of the cramped room. He was so glad that Ushio hadn't taken him off the case, that he forgot all about the physical pain in his abdomen. More so, Ushio wanted to involve Yuugi - that meant that the captain didn't believe he was guilty, he didn't even believe he was a suspect! Jounouchi wanted to sing. Not a moment ago, everything had looked so bleak, now it was taking a turn for the better. First things first - he had to call Yuugi to let him know that he wasn't a suspect. Jounouchi retrieved his cell phone, flipped it open and was so busy staring at the display that he didn't notice where he was going, and he bumped straight into Hirutani.

"Hey man, out of the hospital so soon?"

"Yeah, there wasn't much they could do for me but to give some painkillers. Nothing is broken, just bruised." His voice was still raspy. "I don't know whether to press charges or not."

"Fuck them. He attacked you!"

"Yeah, I know… but I've been on the Ishtars' trail for so long, I'd be ruining my own lifework if I pressed charges. I'm keeping an eye on their gang, the Rare Hunters…"

"Rare Hunters…" Something started to click. Hunters. Hunting for what? _Marik hasn't his Item yet._ Were they hunting for that 'Item'?

"Jounouchi, I've read your report on the Dartz' case and Amelda's witness report," Hirutani said, interrupting Jounouchi's train of thoughts.

"Yes?"

"I took notice of the... unique description of the possible perpetrator," Hirutani answered. "I remembered you talking to me about your friend… and I think he's being framed."

"What do you mean?" Jounouchi's heart skipped a beat. He and Honda were convinced Yuugi was framed, even if they had no leads as to whoever could be behind it all.

"You know my team is specialized in gangs, right?"

"Yeah, how could I ever forget?"

"My team has discovered that there's been a significant shift in the world of gangs, as of late. The Rare Hunters, the Ryuzaki, the Haga, they're quite silent on their turf but they're communicating with one another. We were afraid they were joining forces, but it looks like they've been _forced_ to work together, willingly or not. Someone else has taken the stage."

"Who?"

"I don't know." Hirutani looked just as frustrated as Jounouchi. "One of my contacts described him, before he had to pull out of his undercover operation."

"Tell me more!"

"Apparently, this new guy is always accompanied by a tall dude who acts like his bodyguard, which isn't uncommon in the gang world, of course. My team has already picked up on some serious stories about this guy's power, and how he all but told Ryuzaki and Haga to do what he ordered them to do, or else!"

Jounouchi whistled. He knew those two infamous gangs from his own childhood days, and they weren't to be trifled with.

"Bottom line is, when I read Amelda's description of the suspect, I remembered the description my contact gave me. The striking hair is a match, that's for sure."

"Really?" Jounouchi had to refrain from yelling. There was actually someone else with a similar hairdo like Yuugi, and he was in Domino City?

"You have to be careful when you go after him," Hirutani said. "Like I said, I've heard quite the stories. He's a dangerous man and his bodyguard will kill you on the spot if you just look at him. I don't know his name, but I do know how they call him on the streets."

"How?" Jounouchi asked. _The 'he' the others had refused to call by his name._

Hirutani looked grave. "They call him the Pharaoh."


	8. Chapter 8

Jounouchi knew he was violating police procedures, but he couldn't care less - it concerned his best friend, and he didn't want Yuugi to be under constant stress. Honda would back him up and even captain Ushio would probably look the other way because he knew how much Yuugi meant to one of his best detectives. In his career, Jounouchi had never been accused or incriminated of anything, so he couldn't imagine the amount of stress Yuugi had been dealing with. He didn't know what he'd do if the situation was reversed. Jounouchi watched how Yuugi busied himself with making tea, scurrying around in his small kitchen. He had told him about the ongoing investigation and about what happened at the Kaiba Manor, but he left out the whole ordeal with Bakura.

"There might just be someone around who looks a lot like you," he finally said. Yuugi's movement halted, his hand slightly trembling as he held the teapot. "You don't have a secret twin brother we don't know about, do you?"

"How long have you known me? I've never had a brother, secret twin or not!" Yuugi didn't apologize for his raised voice, and Jounouchi left it at that. Yuugi had apologized enough for everything.

"Sorry, I know. It was a lame comment." He raised his teacup. "Thank you."

Yuugi continued to pour a cup for himself. Jounouchi waited until he sat down before he continued the conversation. "They call him 'Pharaoh', or so Hirutani told me. He has the same... no, a similar hairdo like yours."

"That's impossible," Yuugi said, taken aback. "I can't lay claim on being the only person in the world with this kind of hair, but it's highly unlikely that another person would sport something similar... why would someone want to look like me?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out." Jounouchi took a deep breath. "I have spoken to the captain and he agrees with me. I'm going undercover."

"What? No, Jounouchi-kun! That's far too dangerous! You're not going back to a gang!"

"I'll do what's necessary to get to the bottom of this," Jounouchi said. "People have been killed and it's clear that it's not going to stop until we find out who's behind all of this."

"You're going undercover in a gang!" Yuugi sounded scared. "Please don't!"

"I don't have a choice." Jounouchi was serious and he hated so see his friend so worried. "The investigation is getting nowhere. We have very little leads to work with. The only connection to everyone involved, are Ancient Egyptian artifacts."

"Ancient Egyptian artifacts?" Yuugi parroted. "And that… man is called Pharaoh? How's he connected?"

"I'm not sure, that's why I'm going undercover."

"You've never done such work, Jounouchi-kun. What if anyone recognizes you as a detective?"

"I've spend half my life in a gang," Jounouchi said, grim. "I know that world like the back of my hand: the hierarchy, the structure… I'm sure I'll fit right in, and I can handle myself."

"I don't doubt your abilities," Yuugi said. "I'm just afraid that… after what you've told me, things are going to end up extremely dangerous."

iYou have no idea/i. Jounouchi's baggy shirt hid the large bruise perfectly and he'd been able to avoid brusque movements as well as any painful grunts or expressions on his face; so far, no one had commented on his limited mobility. He hadn't even mentioned the incident to Honda; how could he ever explain that shy, fragile Bakura Ryou had turned into a vicious, extremely strong version of himself, throwing a table across the interrogation room?

"Are you sure that those Rare Hunters and this Pharaoh guy are the ones you're after?" Yuugi asked.

"Yeah." Jounouchi hadn't heard of the Pharaoh before Hirutani mentioned him, but then again, gangs and their affiliations weren't his, but Hirutani's department. "Don't worry about it too much, Yuugi."

"I still don't like it. I wish I could help. Hirutani-san should go."

"Hirutani's too public and too known to be an undercover agent. His network is unmatched, though. He's going to set me up with a contact so I can be introduced into the gang."

"What about your sister? Shizuka-chan?"

Jounouchi had dreaded that question. "Shizuka doesn't know and she won't know. I'm going to tell her that I'll be busy for a while and that I'll contact her as soon as everything's solved."

"Jounouchi-kun! You're going to lie to your own sister?"

"I don't want her to worry over me," Jounouchi gave back. "It's in her best interest to not know."

Yuugi shook his head. "I don't like it at all."

"I need your help too, Yuugi. The captain wants you to figure out why Kaiba Mokuba was almost kidnapped and if Kaiba Seto is going to be the next target. People are searching for an 'Item'. Something out of Ancient Egypt, an artifact."

"Maybe a holy object?"

"I'm not well-versed in Ancient Egyptology."

"Me neither. My grandfather used to dabble in archaeology. He left books and notes about his travels behind."

"Your grandfather traveled to Egypt?"

"Oh yes, in matter of fact, he even explored an unknown Pharaoh's tomb! I kept asking him about it as a kid, but he never divulged much, only things like 'don't mess with forces and powers you can't comprehend'. He didn't want to explain what kind of forces or powers he was talking about. I never gave it much too thought. He went there before I was even born, and later his health became more important to me."

Jounouchi nodded. He remembered how Yuugi had often raced home after school to take care of his ailing grandfather. His mother had died at a young age and Yuugi had taken it upon himself to keep his small family together. It was still hard to comprehend for Jounouchi as to how Yuugi still kept such an optimistic, hopeful outlook on life after everything he'd gone through. What he did comprehend, were the walls Yuugi had build around himself. His friend was strong, but his walls were fragile, like a house of cards, and they rumbled and shook at the faintest breeze touching it. Despite captain Ushio being on his side, Yuugi wasn't completely cleared as a suspect yet, and the strain gnawed at his walls, about to crumble.

"It's weird to think that Ancient Egyptian artifacts have something to do with this," Yuugi said.

"Pegasus based his card game on Ancient Egyptian mythology, Dartz dealt in artifacts from that period, the murder weapon is from Ancient Egyptian origin, there's a guy out there called Pharaoh…" Jounouchi tried to think of a way to reassure Yuugi. "Everything's going to be all right. We're going to catch the killer and then everything will turn back to normal again."

"You're right," Yuugi said, but he didn't sound very convinced. His lack of confidence wasn't aimed at Jounouchi, but at himself.

* * *

As expected, Honda wasn't too happy about Jounouchi going undercover either, especially because Jounouchi had decided to do this without consulting him.

"You're not going in alone," was the first thing out of his mouth. Jounouchi was touched by his unquestionable loyalty, but he didn't want his colleague and friend to run the same risk as he.

"Yes, I am," he said. "You're going to work with Yuugi. There's no need for you to get involved in this."

"You're kidding, right? We've had each other's back for years, and now you're shoving me aside? I'm not some kind of girlfriend you can dump that easily!"

"I know, but this is different. You've never done undercover work before…"

"Neither have you," Honda informed him.

"Look, I'm not sure what's going to happen, all right? I'm trying to protect your ass here! I want you to hold the fort."

"I don't buy it." Honda was getting offended. Jounouchi couldn't blame him; they had been a team for long and they had saved each other's life numerous times; Honda knew danger and wasn't afraid of it. He probably thought that Jounouchi was questioning his capabilities, and it was upsetting him. "What's going on?"

Jounouchi hesitated. "When I saw Bakura in the hallway at the Kaiba Manor… it wasn't the same Bakura as the one who's in detention."

Honda looked at him, frustrated. "What are you talking about? Just spit it out! Don't make up stupid excuses. If you have doubts about me to come along on your precious undercover mission, just say so!"

"The CEO-killer case has been strange from the start," Jounouchi said. "Weird artifacts, weird people. No trace, no fingerprints. Ancient Egyptian mythical shit. A gang led by two teenagers and a dangerous, powerful criminal taking the stage. Something… out of this world is going on, something big, and it's creeping me the fuck out. I don't want you to get hurt."

"And your life is worth less than mine?" Honda's voice was barely audible. "I can't let you do this alone, Jounouchi. We're friends, we're colleagues, we're partners. Why do you want to shoulder this all alone?"

"Like I said, I don't want you to get hurt. I mean… it's complicated." He felt terrible using such a bad cliché. "I need someone strong to hold the fort. There's no need for the both of us to throw ourselves into danger. You're going to be my cavalry when shit hits the fan."

Honda knew Jounouchi well enough to know when to stop and accept defeat. "I'll bring a tank when you need me," he said humorlessly, but the mood was soured and the atmosphere turned chilly.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Jounouchi went to Hirutani's office to get his fake ID and the name of his contact.

"His name is 'Bandit' Keith Howard," he said. "You can't trust the bastard with your life, but he has proven himself quite useful. He's a sneaky snitch; most of what we know of Malik and Marik Ishtar and the Rare Hunters, comes from him. Just be careful," Hirutani warned him. "You ican't/i trust him. I've set up a meeting for you at the L'Z café. You can't miss him; big, burly guy who wears a bandanna around his head with the colors of the American flag."

"I was about to say, 'Howard' doesn't really sound Japanese."

"Howard will introduce you to the lower ranks of the Rare Hunters. From there, you're on your own." Hirutani looked at him. "Don't expect any support from Howard, should things go awry. He might be big and burly, but he's also a coward."

"I get it."

"Like I said, you're going to fly solo. Be very careful. The captain's going to kill me when his best detective ends up getting whacked."

"Aw shush," Jounouchi said.

Hirutani grinned, albeit unenthusiastically. "Just keep in mind that gangs have changed since our time. Especially the Rare Hunters answer to a different hierarchy than we were used to. Whenever the Pharaoh is concerned, people keep their lips tight together. It's not going to be easy, Jounouchi. Good luck."

"Thank you." Jounouchi pocketed his fake ID. "I'm ready."

* * *

L'Z Café was a breeding ground for thugs and (aspiring) gang members. As soon as he entered the establishment, Jounouchi could pick out the wanna-be gangsters, the ass-kissers and the truly dangerous within a heartbeat. It was shocking how easy it was to fall back into his old behavior as a gang member. Jounouchi didn't radiate any fear; this was small fry, not worth his attention or energy. He had arrested many of these people in his early days as a cop: drug traffickers, fences, burglars, criminals who wanted to rise through the ranks of the gang they belonged to.

Jounouchi halted for a moment to sniff up the air: alcohol, tobacco, sweat and paranoia, all rolled into one. He ignored the 'discreet' looks people threw at him, trying to determine if he posed a threat or not, as he walked up to the bar. He recognized Keith Howard from a mile away. The American was wearing his trademark bandanna and was the only one to wear sunglasses indoor. iIdiot/i. A bottle of Jack Daniels stood close to him: import whisky, expensive as hell.

Jounouchi grabbed the bar stool next to Howard as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"You're on time. I appreciate it." He spoke with an accent, but for a gaijin he had an extreme good grasp on the Japanese language, using the vocabulary and grammar correctly.

"You're welcome." Jounouchi settled at the bar and made a crude gesture at the bartender. "Two of the same."

Howard showed Jounouchi a crude smile. "You're not a cheapskate. I appreciate that as well." The bartender poured the Jack Daniels and handed Jounouchi his glass. He wasn't looking to get drunk, but one or two drinks would go down without much of a problem; he would be really standing out if he drank soda in an environment like this..

"I'm not here to impress you," he said curtly.

"I'm not easily impressed," Howard answered, deadpan. "I'm here to do business. I know who send you, don't forget that."

"Yeah, you don't have to remind me."

A smirk. "Hey, I'm just doing you a favor. I'll help you a step up."

"I appreciate it," Jounouchi said, repeating Howard's words. The bartender was out of earshot and the noise in the café was loud enough not to be overheard. "Tell me everything you know about that Pharaoh guy."

Despite the sunglasses, Jounouchi could see how Howard narrowed his eyes and he wondered if he had jumped the gun. Howard's voice was a lot lower when he finally spoke.

"Hey, don't get ahead of yourself. You're being dumb. Don't ever refer to the Pharaoh as 'that Pharaoh guy', if you value your life. You do know he has a bodyguard, don't you?"

Jounouchi shrugged casually. "Doesn't everyone have one, in this business?"

"Fool." The contempt in his voice was obvious. "His name is Mahaado. He's stronger, faster and more dangerous than you'll ever know or have seen before. He's so fast that nobody sees him actually move, but if they survive his wrath, then they'll have to face the Pharaoh himself. He's ruthless, man. One look at him and you're dead."

Jounouchi took his words with a little grain of salt, knowing that a reputation was often based on exaggeration and hearsay; but he perked up at the comments on speed. Every witness so far had talked about everything 'happening in a blur', the attacker so fast that it was impossible to track his movements.

"You're right," Jounouchi said and motioned for another round of Jack Daniels. "I shouldn't have spoken so airily about him. What is he, exactly? Yakuza?"

Howard accepted the drink greedily. "Yakuza? No man, he's a league all of his own. He got the Ryuzaki and Haga gang to work together with just a snap of his fingers; they only dare to fart when he gives them permission to. He controls them with one hand and with the other, he controls the entire business district around here. Nothing escapes him, and if you dare to cross his path or thwart him in any way, you're done for."

"Wow," Jounouchi said. He didn't need to fake the tone of awe in his voice. This Pharaoh had risen up to power in less than six months and exercised a control that not even established, dangerous gangs could withstand. An incredible feat, and he only had one bodyguard? No matter how fast or strong this man was, the Pharaoh was inviting trouble with just one person to protect him. Howard downed the second drink.

"One piece of advice," he said. "Don't come off too greedy, and don't get too hasty. The Pharaoh is out of your reach for now. Stay low and work your way up. I'll introduce you to some people here and there, but I can't get you into the higher ranks. You'll have to do that yourself."

Jounouchi grunted something intelligible in return. The day he was going to thank a lowlife criminal for giving him advice, was the day Jounouchi Katsuya would jump off a skyscraper.

* * *

Honda took Yuugi to the Kaiba Manor, as per Jounouchi's request. They spend the entire ride in silence, both worrying about Jounouchi now that he was undercover. It was impossible to call him; every contact had been severed. Not knowing what was going on, made them both feel powerless and worried. Yuugi clutched an overnight bag to his chest. Honda didn't know how captain Ushio had convinced Kaiba, and he didn't iwant/i to know. Ironically, it was probably for the best for Yuugi to spend a few nights away from his own home and focusing on the Kaiba brothers, instead of his own problems.

They weren't at all surprised that Kaiba hadn't taken any effort to welcome his visitors, but Mokuba was out of bed. He told the butlers again and again that he didn't need to rest and exasperatedly, he send them all away. Mokuba was glad to see someone else beside his doctors and physicians.

"Really, there's nothing wrong with me," he said. "Whatever the kidnapper used, it was the gentlest sleeping aid, because I slept like a baby and I felt great when I woke up! Weird, huh?"

"At least you weren't injured," Yuugi said, good-naturedly.

"Yeah, tell that to my brother." Mokuba scrunched up his face. "A team of doctors have been watching over me constantly and making me exercise and do stuff as to 'monitor my health'. I asked Seto to kick them all out, but he won't me leave alone, not even for a second, until he finds new, suitable security he can hire."

"What about your system?" Honda asked, surprised.

"My brother likes to keep bodyguards around, for when we leave the house," Mokuba explained. "Our system works perfectly indoors, but outdoors we still need physical protection, hence the need for security guards."

"Well, whoever Kaiba hired previously, they're not going to be happy to lose such a big costumer."

Mokuba shrugged. "Zorc Security is the biggest player on the market. They'll survive."

"Zorc?" Honda frowned. That name rang a bell.. a very loud bell. "Have you seen him in person?"

"No," Mokuba said, "but I know he's been here to discuss the details with my brother. Seto wouldn't have hired him if he didn't have something to impress him with. How come?"

"Something that has come up in the investigation," Honda said. Mokuba looked like he was going to ask more, but after one look at Honda's pensive face, he decided against it. iAmelda, Varon and Rafael worked for Zorc Security. Kemo, Pegasus' bodyguard, also worked for Zorc Security. /iThat was too much of a coincidence, wasn't it?

His name was called out and he looked up. "Huh?"

"Would you like some coffee, Honda-kun?" Yuugi asked. A butler had returned to offer drinks to everyone.

"No, thank you. I have to go back to the station, Yuugi. We'll be in touch."

"Yes, for sure." Yuugi looked like he was about to cry. Honda shared his sentiment; it was difficult to not get mad from worrying.

"It's going to be all right," Honda said, for both his and Yuugi's reassurance. He turned around to leave. He had agreed to be Jounouchi's back-up, and he was going to be the damnedest best back-up his friend ever had. He would start by reading and examining all the files, documents and reports from the case again, paying attention to every detail and investigate until he had unearthed every stone; starting with Zorc Security.

* * *

"Kaiba-kun isn't around?" Yuugi used the chopsticks to stir his noodles. Mokuba sat opposite of him, mimicking his gesture.

"He's always working late," he grumbled. "I hate eating alone, so I'm glad you're around, Yuugi. I'll talk to my brother to make sure he'll compensate you for your hours."

"Are you always this business-like?" Yuugi asked. He kept the bitterness out of his voice, as he didn't want to take his frustrations out on Mokuba. After all, the younger Kaiba brother had done nothing to warrant any scorn or wrath.

Mokuba nodded. "I've been Vice President of KaibaCorp. since I was five."

"iFive/i?" Yuugi almost choked on his noodles.

"My brother owns KaibaCorp. since he was seven, I believe. It has something to do with shares. He immediately made me Vice President after acquiring the company, so that it would stay in our hands forever. Our adoptive father taught Seto everything he knew, and he never thought it would be used against him."

"I didn't know you were adopted, Mokuba-kun."

"Yeah. We never learned who our biological parents were. They never stepped forward, and I doubt Seto is interested in meeting them, should the opportunity ever arise… we used to live at an orphanage, until Gozaburo came along."

"That must've been painful."

"I got over it," Mokuba said, a little too quickly. "It doesn't bother me. My brother… he got the brunt of it."

"How come?"

"Our stepfather was a cruel and harsh man. After the death of his son, he was looking for a 'new' successor. He believed Seto was the perfect candidate."

"That's awful! You just can't discard your child's death like that!"

"That's just how Gozaburo was," Mokuba said. He stared into his bowl, not touching the food. "He forced my brother to study and work hard day and night. He used every method necessary to get Seto where he wanted him to be."

"No wonder he's so distant." Yuugi tried to stay objective; he was here as a psychologist, but mostly as a friend. "I'm sorry to hear all that, Mokuba-kun."

Mokuba refused to look at Yuugi, hanging his head. "I got off easy," he said bitterly, "and now I'm an easy target for kidnappers and assholes to get through to my brother."

"Mokuba-kun…"

He balled his hands into fists. "He was so close! I… I was petrified, frozen, shocked! I could only gasp, like a helpless victim!"

"You were about to be kidnapped," Yuugi said. "What else could you have done? Do you think you could've beaten someone so powerful?"

"I wish I could!" Mokuba's voice hitched. "I wish I could've stand up for myself, so my brother wouldn't have to call the police, or the doctor..!"

"Mokuba-kun," Yuugi said, empathically. "What do you think your brother would rather like to see: you safe and sound, or you injured or even worse, because you tried to fend off your attacker?"

"I'm not a wimp," Mokuba said.

"Nobody calls you a wimp. Even if people do, I'd like to see what they would do in a similar situation."

Mokuba showed a teary smile. "Thank you, Yuugi. Or should I say, 'thank you therapist'?"

Yuugi couldn't help but return the smile. "I'm here as a friend, Mokuba-kun, but if I can help you…"

"I wish you could put me under some kind of hypnosis," Mokuba said. He was serious. "I barely remember the kidnapper's face, but I know I stared at him. I want to remember what he looked like, so I can tell the police."

"There's nothing you remember?"

"Just one thing. From the corner of my eye, I think I saw a golden object… like some kind of jewelry. It glittered briefly."

"Maybe your kidnapper was wearing a pendant?"

"Perhaps." Mokuba shivered and shoved the bowl away from him. "It was too dark to really see. Before the sleeping aid started to work, it was just so dark… I wondered why my alarm clock wasn't showing its numbers. So dark…" He shivered once more. "Why don't we go watch a movie? We have our own cinema at the manor."

Yuugi agreed. A nice movie would certainly distract them.


	9. Chapter 9

Jounouchi submerged himself into the world of gangs. It was a world he thought he'd never return to, after wrestling himself free from its clutches. If it hadn't been for Yuugi, Jounouchi would've ended up either dead or in jail; he had no doubts about that. It was fairly unsettling to him though, how quickly he got used to it again: the slang, the attitude, the hierarchy and the mechanics of belonging to a gang. He wasn't adopted into any gang yet, he had to build up his reputation first. Jounouchi went along with Hirutani's contact, Keith Howard, who introduced him here and there. The American wasn't high up the food chain himself and seemed to be content to be used as an errand boy or as a messenger. Jounouchi wasn't fooled by the man's casual attitude; Howard was aggressive but kept himself perfectly under control, waiting like a shark, circling in deep waters to strike and attack when the time was right. Jounouchi hadn't exactly forgotten what thug life was about. He could keep up this façade and play the tough, wannabe gangster, but he hadn't counted on the slew of intense emotions involved. He wanted to talk to Yuugi. Even without his psychological training and studies, Yuugi was a good listener and would be able to help Jounouchi cope with his nightmares. Now all he could do was to take a shower in his ratty hotel room in the hopes of washing the bad memories and the bad experience away. Going undercover meant that he had to sever contact with his family and friends for as long as it would take him to complete this mission. He couldn't go back to his own apartment, he had to maintain a low profile. It was only going to get more difficult from now on. He had to build up his reputation and work his way up, and gather more information about the Pharaoh, until he could reach the man. He had to do all of this without seeing his friends or his sister, and being on his own in this raunchy hotel room, which was barely above cockroach-infested standards. He could hear his neighbors yelling and screaming, banging on doors and ceilings, faking ecstatic orgasms, and on the upper floor someone was playing a loud and violent videogame, every shot fired in the game resonating like an exploding grenade.

He had to figure out the key to this Pharaoh's power. Everyone he had talked to, and Keith in particular, had spoken about him with great admiration and awe. No one wanted to speak badly about him, and some low ranking criminals were even terrified of him. How come? What was his secret? How had he managed to rise to such heights in just six months? The most important question was, how had the Pharaoh achieved all this power without bloodshed? Through the years, gangs had only increased in violence and killing, and the Ryuzaki and Haga were known for their constant shoot-outs. At least he had learned the name of the Pharaoh's bodyguard: Mahaado. He could relay that bit of information to Hirutani and have him perform a background check. Such an uncommon name… Egyptian, maybe? And was he also working for Zorc Security? The name of that company popped up everywhere. Whoever this Zorc was, he sure had a knack for employing quite the buff and tall types. Jounouchi shook his head. The key person was the Pharaoh, not his bodyguard. He was the one risen to power, he was the one looking like Yuugi, he was the one controlling the yakuza and people talked in awe and in fear about him. He was the target, and no one else. Jounouchi took a deep breath. If he could make it to the Pharaoh, he would find out about the killers and why the CEOs were targeted. He only needed to not end up getting killed himself.

* * *

Jounouchi continued to mingle with the people in the underbelly of Domino City. He gathered as much information as he could and pretty soon, he knew the names of the biggest players, who belonged to which gang, who to avoid and where to be when things got interesting. Much to his own surprise, Jounouchi discovered that the Pharaoh's influence wasn't based on weapons, drugs trafficking or extortion, just to name a few. The Pharaoh and his 'men' (Jounouchi hadn't met anyone directly working for him, yet) were looking for certain items, and he had the toughest and nastiest criminals looking along for them. _Items._ Jounouchi was almost in shock. _Marik doesn't have his Item yet._ That explained the massive increase in burglaries and robberies, but it didn't explain the killings of Pegasus and Dartz. Nobody knew what kind of 'items' the Pharaoh was exactly looking for and it didn't help matters that his bodyguard was as silent as a grave and hardly deigned anyone with an answer. To Jounouchi's careful question whether the Pharaoh ever showed himself, people were shy to give an answer: if the Pharaoh did show, shit was going to hit the fan. It was more common to see Mahaado; which didn't mean people could breathe easier.

Jounouchi felt frustrated, as he wanted to see the Pharaoh in public and determine whether he looked like Yuugi or not. In the best case scenario, he wanted to talk to him, but Jounouchi knew that wasn't an option, not for now. So he would start with Mahaado, but it was hard to tell when and where the bodyguard would show up. The frustration was infuriating. They had to eat, to sleep, to stay somewhere! Jounouchi couldn't imagine the bodyguard cooking and cleaning, but every question about the Pharaoh's whereabouts was met with either shrugging or silence; nobody knew for sure.

A great opportunity finally knocked on Jounouchi's door when he learned that a rival gang had managed to pilfer a lot of historical items by intercepting them through customs and whisking them away for sale on the black market. Rumor had it that a lot of the items were of Egyptian origin, which automatically piqued the Pharaoh's interest. The part which interested Jounouchi was that according to the same rumors, the Pharaoh himself would come to look at the items. Finally a chance to see him in person! The meeting would be held at a top-secret location and he had to threaten and bully some people to learn exactly where: the basement below the Domino City sports stadium. Jounouchi prepared himself physically and mentally for the meeting. This was his chance to make first contact with either Mahaado or the Pharaoh. He couldn't wait. This was what he had been working towards to.

* * *

The harshly lit basement was crowded and seeped with smoke from cheap cigarettes; Jounouchi kept a pack on him to pass around, but he made sure never to touch the stuff himself. The Ryuzaki, the gang responsible for the heist, were congratulating themselves with their victory. A few Haga, Jounouchi didn't know why they were here, looked on with sour expressions on their faces. Excitement grew. Jounouchi's hands itched. He wanted to arrest everyone in the basement for carrying (illegal) guns and for all the crimes they had committed. He grunted as he was squished between two Ryuzaki and he tried to find a better spot. Suddenly, a reverent silence fell. Jounouchi craned his neck to catch a glimpse of the person approaching the tall crates in the center of the basement. Finally! His disappointment was great when Jounouchi saw it wasn't the Pharaoh. This had to be Mahaado. The man was tall and bore a dark tan. His dark brown hair was tied back in a simple ponytail and under his eyes Jounouchi could see black lines; perhaps a tattoo? He was dressed in plain, common clothes, starkly contrasted by the conspicuous, golden bracers around his upper arms and wrists, along with a broad, golden necklace. Jounouchi frowned. This man was supposed to be powerful? He wasn't even that buff or muscular compared to a Rafael or a Kemo. However, everyone treated Mahaado with the same regards as they would treat the Pharaoh; in utmost silence, barely breathing, the crowd parted ways to let the man pass. He walked up to the tall crates and at his command, two gang members removed the heavy lids. Mahaado leaned a little forward and reached into the crate. His long, slender fingers touched the first object: a granite bird-shaped statuette. Jounouchi didn't recognize any of the art; he kept his attention on the bodyguard. Mahaado didn't speak and sorted through the crate at a surprising fast pace. With knowledge and experience, he separated the contents of the crates in three different piles. Jounouchi couldn't see it all and tried to worm his way forward. The crowd was densely packed and not everyone was as friendly to let him pass. When Jounouchi wanted to move forward again, he halted. Not that far away from him, he saw two people he wanted to avoid for as long as possible: the Ishtar 'brothers', Marik and Malik. Jounouchi quickly retreated behind the back of the man in front of him. That was a close call! It was only a matter of time before he would run into those two. Their Rare Hunters had grown explosively, increasing in crimes and violence all over the bad districts of Domino City. Jounouchi swallowed. Of course they were looking for the 'Item' that Bakura had mentioned. He could see them staring intensely at the items being sorted, not paying attention to their surroundings. Malik looked like he wanted to burn a hole in every artifact, and Marik licked his lips. From his position, Jounouchi could see that something was stuck in the loops of Marik's belt; it was a knife that suspiciously looked like the ceremonial dagger used to kill Dartz. A shiver went down his spine.

Mahaado was finished and straightened himself. He glared at the leader of the Ryuzaki gang, called 'Dynosaur' Ryuzaki, always quick to suck up.

"You will bring these items to me," he said. "The rest are cheap knock-offs. You have my permission to distribute them the way you like."

"Yes, Mahaado-sama," Ryuzaki bowed so deep that his nose almost hit the floor. The crowd started to dissipate. Jounouchi kept an eye on the Ishtars: Marik leaned into Malik and told him something, as his lips were moving. Malik looked disappointed and angry. He nodded nonetheless and made a sharp turn to the left. Jounouchi ducked out of sight and held his breath when the Ishtars walked past him, not a few inches afar. He waited until they had left; only then he was able to breathe again. Jounouchi mixed himself into the group of lower-ranked lackeys who were busy packing the items Mahaado had deemed worthwhile. Casually, he picked up a wooden carved box with a gold-leafed motif, decorated with hieroglyphs. It was heavier than it looked but still as casually as he could muster, Jounouchi walked behind another lackey to the exit of the basement. A tall moving van was waiting outside for the items to be loaded, and Jounouchi stepped inside, helping out until the van was full. Nobody questioned his presence and soon after, the van drove off.

At least thirty minutes passed when the van stopped again. Jounouchi was incredibly curious as to where he was. He didn't recognize his immediate surroundings; an impressive mansion - of course it had to be a mansion - was in front of him, but before he could take in the details, a man roughly shoved him.

"Come on, we can't keep Mahaado-sama waiting," he hissed and Jounouchi quickly started walking, with the box in his hands. "No, not that way, moron. The back!"

Grumbling, Jounouchi followed the others to the back of the mansion. People walked in and out through an open door. His breathing became erratic. Was this the place where the Pharaoh lived? He was so close to his goal! Putting up a stoic face, he entered the mansion.

It was a museum. An Ancient Egyptian museum, to be exact. The mansion breathed an atmosphere of millennia old age, with its warm sandy colors, the walls depicting the vibrant art, interspersed with hieroglyphs. Any modern utility, like the burning lights, were designed or adjusted in such a way that they didn't stand out in the magnificent decoration. Jounouchi stared at the depiction of ancient Pharaohs and Gods; it was simply stunning. Despite showing it age, it didn't feel cold - the mansion was _welcoming_ its visitors and Jounouchi almost felt ashamed for the boorish gang members, stomping over the beautiful carpeting. He had never seen such wonder in home decoration and it was awe-inspiring and overwhelming at the same time.

"You there," a brusque voice startled him out of his thoughts. "Move on to the next room and put the item on the table."

"Yes, Mahaado-sama," Jounouchi said and refrained from looking at Mahaado. The bodyguard gave out more orders, having forgotten about Jounouchi as soon as he noticed someone else balancing an object in the wrong way. Jounouchi went into the direction Mahaado had pointed at. The room was empty safe for a large table, put exactly in the middle. He put the carved box next to the other artifacts. If these were all authentic, then he had stumbled upon the biggest art heist in his entire life…

"What are you still doing here?" Mahaado stood in the door opening, posture rigid.

"I was just admiring the collection," Jounouchi said, cringing at his weak excuse.

The bodyguard glared at him. "Who are you?"

"Jounouchi Katsuya," Jounouchi introduced himself. "Free-lance entrepreneur! Versatile and professional."

Mahaado tilted his head a little. A strand of dark brown hair slipped from the confinements of the ponytail and slid over his shoulder. "You don't belong to the Ryuzaki gang," he said.

"Opportunities don't knock on your door," Jounouchi answered. "I saw an opportunity and took it."

"An opportunity for what, exactly?" Mahaado crossed his arms in front of his chest. Jounouchi took his earlier thoughts about the man's strength back. Even though he wasn't that buff, the firm muscles rippling under the tan skin told him otherwise. He suddenly wasn't sure if he could beat Mahaado in a fight, street-style.

"I know you're looking for items."

A scowl. "That is not exactly a secret, Jounouchi Katsuya. You are not the first to offer your 'services', and not the last. We do not have any need for another petty merchant. You can leave now."

"You're looking for Items-items," Jounouchi said, stressing the first 'Item'. It didn't get a reaction out of Mahaado. "Gold, a pendant."

It was just a twitch of the man's right eye, but Jounouchi caught it.

"There are many golden pendants," Mahaado said. "I know how to distinct the fake from the real ones. Too many people think they can copy our holy art and make knock-offs of our statues and scriptures, denigrating and reducing our ancient traditions to rubbish, overflowing the market and cheapening our sacred culture."

"I can find what you're looking for," Jounouchi boasted. "Just tell me what you and the Pharaoh are exactly looking for."

"You can leave," was Mahaado's answer, and he moved his arm to point to the exit. "I am afraid you will have to walk. Your friends already left."

"Are the Ishtars your friends?" Jounouchi said brusquely. Another twitch. He groaned mentally. This guy was tough to crack!

"So you know the Ishtars and their Rare Hunters," Mahaado said, not realizing he casually confirmed the connection between them.

"They're looking for the same thing, aren't they? Marik doesn't have his Item yet."

Now that brought out a more noticeable reaction: Mahaado widened his eyes. For a moment, the bodyguard seemed unsure of what to do, before composing himself again.

"You will wait here." Mahaado left the room. After waiting a couple of seconds, Jounouchi exited the room as well and turned to the direction the bodyguard had disappeared into. He stared at a carpeted, broad staircase. It was very inviting to go upstairs; the Pharaoh had to be on the first floor, he just had to be! Before he realized it, Jounouchi had put his right foot on the lowest step. He could hear soft mumbling; low voices, but he couldn't identify who was speaking, the sound was too distant. It was dangerous to get caught eavesdropping, so Jounouchi went back to the large room. Patience, he had to have patience. He couldn't afford to blow his cover and botch this mission. Jounouchi studied the artifacts on the table until Mahaado returned five minutes later, the man was as silent as a cat. He didn't say anything like: "The Pharaoh wishes to speak to you".

"You might be of more use to us than I thought," he said instead. "The Pharaoh thinks you are able to gather more information on the Ishtars and their search for the Items. You will report back to me."

"I'm quite the busy man," Jounouchi said audaciously. "If you let me talk to the Pharaoh about what Items he's looking for…"

"You are _not_ going to talk to the Pharaoh," Mahaado said curtly. "Everything you have to say, you can say so to me."

Jounouchi flashed him a big, obedient smile. He couldn't risk this frail contact to get ruptured by his own eagerness.

"Send the Pharaoh my regards," he said as he left the mansion. Once he was out of the door, he released the breath he was holding. His stupid little trick had worked out great, and he had managed to bluff himself into the service of the Pharaoh, somehow. Apparently his 'knowledge' of the Items was in his favor, but it was also his weakest point. He could never get close to the Isthars. They knew he was a detective; Isis had introduced him as such to her brothers. He was walking a very, very fine line here. He couldn't involve them in his plans to get closer to the Pharaoh. He had to find out more about the Items himself, through any other means. What was so important about these Items? Why was everyone looking for them? Was this some kind of twisted rat race? Whoever got the Item(s) first, won?

"It's like a goddamn scavenger hunt," Jounouchi muttered to himself. He crossed the perfectly maintained garden and made his way over to the tall, iron wrought gate. He opened it and stepped onto the pavement.

Due to his years as a cop on the beat, Jounouchi had a good layout of the city in his head. He recognized immediately where he was, and grunted. It was going to be a long walk back to his hotel. Well, fuck it, he wasn't going to walk all that way, so he called for a taxi and allowed himself the relative luxury of being driven to his destination. When he arrived at the dilapidated, sleazy hotel, he walked past the counter, but the receptionist whistled at him. The older man plopped a note with some kanji written on it on the counter.

"I'm not your secretary," he spat crudely, "tell your Miho to use your cell phone number or whatever. I'm tired of taking her calls."

Jounouchi kept his face schooled in a neutral expression and picked up the note. 'Miho' had called at least seven times. That was bad. The receptionist laughed a little lecherous.

"Cute voice, though. I take it she's very nice?"

"Nicer than you could ever think," Jounouchi said and showed a similar, lecherous grin. The man snickered.

"Let her drop by instead of leaving messages by phone."

"Oh, you'll see her soon enough," Jounouchi said and shoved a few yen over the counter. "Thanks, man."

It wasn't really necessary to keep the receptionist on his friendly side, but Jounouchi was careful to not make enemies. Even the smallest thing could save or break his life later. Sauntering, he took the stairs to his floor and carefully checked his door before opening it. He didn't want to be surprised by any unwanted visitors. After checking the rest of his room, Jounouchi pulled out his cell phone. Fifteen missed messages. He had turned the device off before the meeting and hadn't thought to turn it back on yet. 'Miho' was the code to contact the station right now. Something was wrong, totally wrong. His fingers trembled as he pushed the buttons.

* * *

Mokuba frowned in deep concentration, staring at the board game in front of him. He was contemplating his next move, weighing his options. Yuugi waited patiently for the younger Kaiba brother to make a decision. It wasn't like he had any places to be. Playing a board game with Mokuba was a good distraction. He chatted Yuugi up like there was no tomorrow and he helped him not to think of the problems at hand. Yuugi felt very nervous since his name had been mentioned in the ongoing CEO-killer investigation. He couldn't believe someone might be out there, looking like him. How could that be possible? Yuugi had the feeling Jounouchi hadn't told him everything, but he respected his friend too much to pry.

"This one." Mokuba moved a capsule over the board and now it was Yuugi's turn. Capsule Monsters was a fun game; Yuugi enjoyed old-fashioned board games like he used to play with his grandfather. He revised his strategy after seeing where Mokuba had placed his capsule. They were both so engrossed that they didn't hear Kaiba enter.

"Mokuba, what are you doing out of bed?"

Startled, Mokuba fell over. "Nii-sama? What are you doing here? Something wrong at the office?"

"No," Kaiba said and stalked through the room to help Mokuba up. "I heard from the doctors that you've been up all day and don't want to get back to bed."

"For crying out loud, nii-sama," Mokuba rolled his eyes, "I'm not that little kid who's dragging your suitcase behind you anymore! There's nothing wrong with me. I feel fine, and Yuugi's keeping me great company. I want to get back to work ASAP and there's nothing you can do about it."

Kaiba grunted and glared at Yuugi. "How's he doing?"

"Kaiba-kun, he's perfectly healthy," Yuugi said. "I've noticed no fainting or dizzy spells, lapses in memory or sudden changes in behavior."

"So you've been keeping an eye on me too," Mokuba said, mock-hurt. He tapped on the board game. "Just make your move, Yuugi, so I can win!"

Kaiba looked at the board game and shook his head. "You'll never win like this, Mokuba. Yuugi has you beat within three moves if you don't change your strategy."

Mokuba looked sour.

"I didn't know you like to play games too, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi said.

Kaiba snorted. "I've been playing since I was a kid."

"That's true, nii-sama was extremely good at chess! Now he's developing technology for the Duel Monsters game," Mokuba said, with unabashed pride in his voice. "Holographic technology no less, to make the cards come to life. Our Virtual Reality system's going to take the world by storm!"

"Duel Monsters? The game developed by Pegasus-san?"

"Yes, he created and developed it," Kaiba said. "I bought the rights after his death. Now I can combine the game and the technology to raise it to the next level, keeping KaibaCorp. at the top of the market." He pursed his lips. "I told the captain all about it. Buying the rights of a game doesn't make me a killer."

"Nii-sama," Mokuba flinched.

"I know what he's doing," Kaiba made a rude gesture with his head towards Yuugi. "If he's not psycho-analyzing us, he's telling everything he's learned here to the police. I'm not sure how fast he'll run to the tabloids."

"Kaiba-kun," Yuugi said, genuinely hurt. "I would never do that!"

"We're not friends, Yuugi," Kaiba reminded him. "Just because we shared a few classes back in high school, eons ago, doesn't give you the right to call me your friend, and certainly not '-kun'."

"Nii-sama, stop it," Mokuba said sternly. "Have you forgotten what happened to Yuugi?"

"I'm not interested in what happened to him." Kaiba turned around. "Enjoy your playtime, Mokuba."

"I'm sorry," Mokuba apologized after Kaiba's brusque departure. "Sometimes I don't know what goes on in his mind. I know he cares, but he sure has a… strange way of showing it."

"At least he's showing it to _you_ ," Yuugi said. "It would be a lot worse if he didn't, don't you think?"

"We've had our altercations," Mokuba said. He pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them, hugging himself like a small child. "When we were younger. He could be really cruel if he wanted to achieve something. He wouldn't have any consideration for what I was thinking or saying."

"I do believe Kaiba-kun has your best interests in mind," Yuugi said, not about to refer to Kaiba with any other honorific. "He has never learned to deal well with his own emotions, and he projects his harshness around you in a way to protect you, to shield you."

"Do you ever talk like a normal person, or are you the psychologist right now?"

"I'm your friend," Yuugi said. "I'm sorry, I can't help it when some psychology slips in. I hope it doesn't make my opinion less valuable."

"No, you're right, I'm being an ass." Mokuba turned towards the game again. "You know, I'm glad that you're not giving up on him. On my brother, I mean. Most people would've run away screaming or crying, but you're still here."

"I'm here for my own safety and to help the both of you out," Yuugi said. "It doesn't mean I can't be your friend, or his."

"Nii-sama doesn't like friends. He sees an enemy in almost everyone."

"You both had a rough life. When faced with such hardships like yourself, it's nothing but logical to build up walls around you and be more distrusting. You two have been hurt and all that negativity buries the softer, kinder, caring side. It's so hard to regain trust in people after being badly treated."

"I wonder if my brother shows his caring side in his way of doing business," Mokuba said. "You do know that Duel Monsters is primarily targeted for children?"

"It's great that Kaiba-kun makes it possible for kids to play a wide array of games with his technology."

Mokuba grimaced. "It's such a difference from what our stepfather did."

"I'm not sure…"

"Warfare," Mokuba spat out. He rocked himself back and forth. "I saw the tanks and guns myself, stored under KaibaCorp's HQ. Nii-sama showed it to me when I told him that I didn't believe that Gozaburo was capable of it." Yuugi didn't interrupt. "Gozaburo adopted my brother because of his potential and intellect, and I was part of the deal, but I didn't add anything. I was too young and too stupid. He had to go through hell, what Gozaburo did to him, and I was given a stuffed animal. 'Here Mokuba, you amount to nothing anyway, go play and don't be a bother.'" Tears started to well up. Yuugi left his side of the table and went over to Mokuba, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"I saw the guns, Yuugi. I saw missiles and rifles, everything to kill and destroy! That was KaibaCorp.. It was a fucking warfare factory!" He burst out in tears and Yuugi wrapped both his arms around him for a comfortable hug.


	10. Chapter 10

Jounouchi dialed the number of the secured line and waited anxiously.

"Verification needed," a pleasant voice announced what he needed to do and he typed in his personal access code. After two rings, the line was picked up.

"Jounouchi! What took you so long, goddamnnit?"

"Hirutani," Jounouchi kept his voice low. The walls of his hotel room were paper thin. "What the hell's going on?"

"Bakura Ryou," Hirutani said, voice strained. "He's escaped."

"What?"

"We noticed him missing a couple of hours ago and went searching for him immediately," Hirutani said. "He's gone! Nobody saw him leave and his cell door was closed! He was strip-searched before he was locked up, he had nothing on him but a couple of yen. The kid was crying and whining when we put him in his cell!"

 _No, he wasn't._ Hirutani took Jounouchi's silence as a sign to continue. "He isn't showing up on the security cams, either. It's like he vanished in thin air!"

Jounouchi sat down on the bed. He needed to clear his thoughts. A man who spoke of the darkness as if he was relishing it, enjoying it, _loving_ it, and who could shift from a shy kid to a raving psychopath in the next second, wouldn't be held back by a couple of metal bars. Jounouchi felt guilty. He should've told Hirutani, or at least the captain. But what was he supposed to say? "Hey, that innocent looking delivery boy you're about to put away, he can turn into a darkness-loving lunatic and throw furniture across the room without lifting up a finger?" And why was he actually _not_ surprised by this news?

"Jounouchi? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm right here." He shifted on the bed.

"Hey man, sorry that I'm the messenger of bad news."

"About the security cams… who's the manufacturer? Did Zorc Security install them?"

"Huh? Yeah, I think so. Everything's Zorc here, it's the biggest player on the market. Why do you ask?"

"Just... nothing. Never mind. Thank you for letting me know."

"How are things going over there?"

"I made contact with the bodyguard, Mahaado. Did you manage to find anything about him?"

"Sorry man, these Egyptians don't exist," Hirutani said gruffly. "I have no information whatsoever on Mahaado. I tried every source I could think of; I even called Cairo for some intelligence! No such luck. I tried coaxing some out of my informants, but they shit seven kinds of crap when I mention his name, let alone what they shit when I mention the Pharaoh."

"It's unreal," Jounouchi thought out loud. "Why do they all fear him so much? He doesn't even show his face in public!"

"I don't know," Hirutani answered. "But take it from me, Jounouchi, when even the biggest and toughest member of the yakuza rather bites off his tongue than to answer questions about the Pharaoh, I'd say you have a very dangerous man on the scene. Please be careful."

"I will." Jounouchi severed the connection and processed the information he had just received. Marik talked about the Darkness. Bakura spoke of the Darkness, but he _acted_ upon it as well. Out of habit, Jounouchi's hand went to his abdomen. The skin was still tender and showing impressive bruises from where the table had hit him. Jounouchi was sure that Bakura hadn't thrown the table with any physical strength; some kind of power had shoved the piece of furniture into him. _Some kind of power_? Magic didn't exist. He didn't like the thought of the supernatural, but he had seen it with his own eyes. His body was still showing the evidence, for crying out loud. Pharaoh. Ancient Egypt. Strange powers. Marik. Bakura. There was only one person who could answer some of his questions, and he was going to call her right away.

* * *

In the dead of night, the Domino City National Museum looked like an eerie place. The building was completely dark safe for a few modest lights behind windows; the majority of the personnel had since long left for home. Jounouchi kept an eye on everyone who came out of the building; the last two people to leave were the Ishtar brothers. They didn't belong to the museum personnel but they did use the 'staff only' entrance, apparently a perk of their sister Isis working there. Jounouchi assumed she had send them away; he needed to talk to her without her brothers around. Malik seemed rather excited, talking while he made big gestures with his arms. The slightly taller Marik had a neutral expression on his face as far as possible; he didn't look grumpy or gleeful. Jounouchi waited until Isis would show herself. It took another hour before he saw her, dressed in her authentic garb, dawdling at the door as she was the last person to leave. She activated the alarm and used a couple of hefty keys to lock the door. After she had stashed the keys in her purse, she looked around from left to right in a very conspicuous way, as if she was featuring in a B spy movie. He couldn't blame her. Jounouchi emerged from his hiding spot and tried to get her attention without startling her. To no avail; at this late hour she was spooked easily, but the relief washing over her face when she recognized him was genuine.

"Ishtar-san," Jounouchi said politely, "thank you for agreeing to meet up with me."

"What is going on?" She asked. "I want to go home and take care of my brother."

"I need to ask you some questions about the both of them."

She heaved a sigh. Jounouchi remembered her strength and confidence at the captain's office, fighting like a lion for her family. But now he could see a crack in that strong exterior, when the burden of the intense care for her brothers became too heavy. How long had this woman carried this burden? Her entire life? And why did she refuse to refer to Marik as 'brother'?

"All right. What is it that you want to know?"

"Do you know how much your brothers are involved with the Rare Hunters?"

"They founded the gang themselves," Isis said, with pain in her voice. "Believe me, I did everything I could to keep them from doing it."

"What are they looking for? What kind of Items?"

She looked apprehensive. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Isis, I need your help. I'm trying to get close to the Pharaoh and win his trust. I strongly believe he knows who's behind the killings of the CEOs here in Domino City, and it has something to do with Ancient Egyptian artifacts. I know it sounds weird, but…" He stopped. Isis wasn't laughing at him. She didn't call him crazy. She didn't ask if he had lost his mind. In fact, from the look in her eyes, he could see that she _believed_ him.

"The Pharaoh," she said breathlessly, "does he have a bodyguard?"

"His name is Mahaado," Jounouchi said. Isis closed her eyes for a brief moment, heaved another deep sigh and brought her hands up, untying her necklace. The jewelry slid into her right hand and she held it out to Jounouchi. He extended his hand, and she pressed the necklace into his palm.

"Take this to the Pharaoh," she said. "Tell him that the Tomb Keepers are ready to atone for their sins and vow to protect once more."

"Ishtar-san…"

"There is nothing more I can do for you," she said, hurriedly. "My brothers are not the demons in this legend, Jounouchi. Watch out for the darkness. It is coming, and it will come by storm. I can only pray we will survive."

"What do you mean? Ishtar-san!" Dumbfounded, Jounouchi watched her retreating back. She didn't run, but it was obvious she wanted to get away fast, and he let her be. It wouldn't be of much use to forcefully retrieve her. He had the distinct feeling she wasn't going to tell him more, no matter how hard he'd try. He stared down at his hand, at the necklace: a golden piece of jewelry with the stylized eye in the center that he recognized all too well. He'd seen it on Bakura Ryou's 'Ring'. Confused and bewildered, he put the jewelry away and hurried back to his motel.

Despite everything, Jounouchi slept well. He figured he'd be tossing and turning the entire night, but he was exhausted and he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. The next morning he took a shower, put on clean clothes and treated himself to a nice and superfluous breakfast. While he was eating, his thoughts wandered off to Isis' necklace. Why had she been so confident to give it to him? She hadn't questioned his words, not even once. It was a suitable present for the Pharaoh, that was for sure. It was going to get him closer to him and if he got into his favor, he could gather more information about the CEO killings. The Pharaoh had to know who was behind it, if he wasn't the killer himself. He just had to! Jounouchi realized that he had forgotten to ask about Yuugi when he was talking to Hirutani. He wanted to talk to his best friend so badly, but it wasn't possible, not without blowing his cover. Yuugi was safe at the Kaiba mansion, shielded from any danger. Would Bakura try to break into the mansion again? Jounouchi trusted Kaiba to have beefed up the security to Fort Knox status, if not an impenetrable nuclear base. With Bakura out of jail, another dangerous player had added himself to the game. He had to avoid him, just like he had to avoid the Isthar brothers. _My brothers are not the demon in this legend._ Why could that woman never talk in plain language? Yet, she hadn't been that upset about a criminal calling himself a Pharaoh, she had immediately accepted Jounouchi's words. It dawned to him that this was the first time that Isis had actually called Marik and Malik 'brothers' in plural, not singular. Why was she so hell-bent on protecting the both of them? And if there was any legend at all, who was supposed to be the demon? Bakura?

He waited for a few days to take the necklace to either the Pharaoh or Mahaado, even though the jewelry was burning in his pocket. He didn't want to come across as too eager; the unique nature of the artifact would give rise to many questions. Jounouchi prepared himself mentally for the right moment and continued to keep a close eye on the market. He avoided getting too deep involved with the black market and the counterfeit merchandise and made sure to show up only at key meetings, just to make sure that people wouldn't forget about him. He spotted Keith Howard a few times at the L'Z Café, but apart from a few superficial conversations, there was no real contact and he left it at that.

On the early Thursday morning, he decided to take his chances. Jounouchi took a cab to the address he'd been to before and admired the mansion in broad daylight. Despite the dreary day, it managed to radiate a warm sense of comfort and hospitality. Jounouchi pushed the iron gate open and walked into the perfectly maintained garden with an abundance of plants and flowers; too exotic to be indigenous. Wandering around the building, he saw that the backdoor was open. He wondered if Mahaado left it open all the time or that it specifically had been opened just for him, which was a spooky thought.

He entered the mansion. The hallway was unlit. To the left was a large kitchen with a cooking island, the top neatly cleaned and a stack of pots and pans next to the large stove. Jounouchi scratched the back of his head. Mahaado really did the cooking and cleaning himself, from the looks of it. He ventured deeper into the mansion but he didn't dare to open any of the doors. A rustling sound behind him alerted him of Mahaado's presence. Jounouchi turned around, in time to see the bodyguard descending the stairs.

"Jounouchi Katsuya," he said, sternly. "Do you have any information for me?"

"I have something even better!" Jounouchi patted his pants pocket. "I would like to give it to the Pharaoh myself. There's a message I'm supposed to deliver personally to him."

"I told you before that you will not get to see him," Mahaado said. "What is it that you want to give to him?"

"Sorry man. No Pharaoh, no gift." Jounouchi shrugged and sauntered off, at least that was his intention. He found himself rooted to the spot, unable to move. A strange, debilitating cold spread through his veins. He couldn't even talk, only move his eyes. Mahaado approached him.

"You do realize that I can take anything from you without breaking a sweat, do you not?" There was no kindness or patience in his voice. His dark brown eyes, stressed by the black tattooed eyeliner, expressed no malice, but his stern, unmovable expression made Jounouchi's blood run even colder. This man would stop at nothing to get what he wanted if it meant he could serve the Pharaoh. He would kill to please him, no doubt about it. Sweat trickled down his back. He couldn't reach his gun, let alone fire it. He was helpless!

"Mahaado." The voice startled Mahaado and he immediately stepped to the side, bowing down his head while he put his left foot forward. Jounouchi turned his eyes into the direction the voice came from, but he couldn't see anyone. It came from upstairs, the first floor. "He has a message for me."

"Yes, Great Pharaoh." Mahaado didn't even blink, but Jounouchi felt that he could move his jaws again. "Tell the Pharaoh your message, Jounouchi Katsuya."

He had no other choice and he related what Isis had told him. Mahaado listened intently and after Jounouchi had finished, a silence fell. _The Tomb Keepers are ready to atone for their sins and vow to protect once more._ Mahaado straightened himself.

"I have to confer with the Pharaoh," he said, stiffly. "You will hand the gift over to me."

Jounouchi moved his right arm and reluctantly, he pulled out the necklace. He had wrapped the jewelry in a clean handkerchief and Mahaado took it from him, with a blank look on his face. The next moment, Jounouchi could move freely again and he scowled at the bodyguard.

"Yeah, I will wait here, thank you very much," he said daintily. He had no intention to wait meekly for Mahaado's return. Jounouchi was so curious that he couldn't contain himself. So the Pharaoh was already intervening on a personal title; that was promising. Jounouchi went to the stairs and climbed up, thanking whoever had laid that thick, heavy carpet muffling every footstep. Now he could hear voices and he followed the sound, sneaking stealthily past closed doors. The door at the end of the hallway was open and he approached it. Jounouchi held his breath and peeked through the small gap. The room was decorated in the same fashion as the rest of the mansion, but for some reason, it comported elegance and importance, possibly because it was the Pharaoh's room. He could see Mahaado, standing tall and straight, arms crossed in front of his chest. He could also see the other person, the Pharaoh himself, sitting in a high back chair in front of an impressive open fire place - and his heart skipped a beat.

It _was_ Yuugi. It couldn't be! He was at the Kaiba Manor - what was he doing here? But the next second, 'Yuugi' turned his head towards Mahaado and Jounouchi gasped. This was the man he had seen at the Kaiba Manor. Those sharp red eyes, burning and scorching, were nothing like Yuugi's kind, wide eyes. His facial shape and hairstyle were definitely similar to Yuugi's, with just a few minor differences: the Pharaoh's hair was even wilder, bearing more golden bangs framing his face and spiking through his hair like lightning. His tan was like Malik's and contrasted with the beige clothes he was wearing. Jounouchi couldn't see exactly how he was dressed; because of the chair, he could only see his profile. The Pharaoh was studying Isis' necklace. Mahaado said something in Ancient Egyptian. Jounouchi mentally groaned, he couldn't understand a word. He kept watching, hoping that they would switch to Japanese and mention something he could pick up. The bodyguard turned to the left and picked up an exquisite, small golden box and opened it for the Pharaoh to put in the necklace. He closed the lid, richly carved with a myriad of hieroglyphs, and returned the box to its original place. Smoothly, he turned back to the Pharaoh and leaned into him. Mahaado lifted up his hand and with the tenderest movement Jounouchi had ever seen, he brushed away one of the golden strands on the side of the Pharaoh's face, cupping his cheek and gently stroking with his thumb over his skin.

"You should rest, Great Pharaoh," Mahaado said, this time in Japanese. His voice was completely drained from any aggression or authority, only servitude and devotion was left. "You have taken many risks as of late."

"I have no time to rest." The Pharaoh's voice wasn't mellow at all.

"Take this blanket." Mahaado reached next to him and pulled the blanket over the Pharaoh, as if tucking in a small child. "I know how you hate the cold. It is not as warm here as in our kingdom."

A small smile. "Thank you."

Mahaado bowed to him and took a step backwards. "I will execute your orders, Pharaoh."

"Stay for a while." It wasn't a question, but not a harsh command either. Mahaado went to sit by his side, kneeling next to the chair. As the man was much taller, his face came up at the same level as the Pharaoh's, slightly tilting. The Pharaoh answered the movement, leaning into Mahaado. It was a small gesture, but Mahaado took fully advantage, parting his lips and tasting the Pharaoh's, greedy yet gently, tenderness mixed with a fiery need. Jounouchi turned beet red, well aware that he was watching something intensely private, something very intimate. He didn't have any trouble with two men kissing, but it shed an entire different light on the dynamics between Mahaado and his Pharaoh. Yeah, _his_ Pharaoh, that was as much as clear. No wonder Mahaado was so overly protective! Jounouchi stepped away from the door and made his way down. A giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders, now that he had confirmed for himself that the Pharaoh wasn't Yuugi. He had so much to think about: Tomb Keepers, the Ishtars, the necklace, the Pharaoh, Mahaado… he sat down at the bottom of the stairs, his mind overflowing with questions. He sat there for quite a while until Mahaado descended the stairs. Jounouchi got up and mustered up a weak smile. The bodyguard held a rectangular piece of paper in his hand.

"This is for you, Jounouchi Katsuya," he offered it to him. "The Pharaoh has decided to reward you generously for your assistance and information."

Jounouchi took the piece of paper, slightly confused. He stared at it. It was a _kogitte,_ a check made out to his name with a monetary amount on it that was more than enough to retire and live the rest of his life in comfort and wealth.

"I don't know what to say," he said, completely baffled. For some reason, that seemed to please Mahaado.

"I will express your gratitude to the Pharaoh," he said and that was it. Jounouchi recognized a dismissal when he saw one, so he left the mansion, still baffled.


	11. Chapter 11

"Honda-kun, I'm so glad you could come over!" Yuugi smiled at his friend, who grinned in return. It was a little forced, though; Honda obviously wasn't himself without his partner, Jounouchi, around.

"You got yourself a pretty sweet place here, Yuugi. It must have some great grub!"

"Sure, you can stay for dinner." Yuugi patted his stomach. "The chef likes to try out new recipes, now that he has an extra guest. The Kaiba brothers tend to keep to a rigid schedule of certain dishes. I feel like I've been putting on weight!"

"Talking about the Kaiba bros., how are they doing?"

"Kaiba-kun is very worried about Mokuba-kun. Despite all the doctors giving him a clean bill of health, he now wants _me_ to ascertain that Mokuba-kun is completely okay and not suffering from any trauma because of the attempted kidnapping."

"Yeah," Honda said as he scratched the back of head. "Concerning that, I have some bad news."

"What is it, Honda-kun?"

"Bakura Ryou was arrested for the crime," Honda said, "but…"

" _Bakura_ -kun?"

"You _know_ him?"

"He was in our class at Domino High!" Yuugi was shocked. "Don't you remember? He was a transfer student and sometimes watched us play games in class. I don't think he ever really interacted with the others, he kept mostly to himself. I completely lost sight of him after high school."

Honda frowned. "I first thought it was nonsense, but now I think that Jounouchi was right with all his talk about everything and everyone in this case being interconnected. It's like a damn spider web."

"Bakura-kun is incapable of committing a crime," Yuugi said, determined. "He's kind and good-hearted. Something is terribly wrong, Honda-kun!"

"You could say that again," Honda retorted dryly, "because he escaped from his holding cell not two days later."

"What?"

"He disappeared into thin air, Yuugi. Police all over the city are looking for him. It's possible that he'll try to kidnap one of the Kaibas again."

"But... why?"

"We don't know. This case has so many loose threads, so many connections and links, that it's hard to get a good overview. We don't know how to put everything together. However, the fact that Bakura was a classmate, might explain at least this connection: he knows you, and through you, he knows Kaiba…"

"But Bakura-kun would never do something like that…" Yuugi couldn't believe it. "Have you heard anything from Jounouchi-kun yet?"

"No." Honda shook his head. "He's undercover, Yuugi. We alerted him of Bakura's escape, but that was the most we could do. We have to wait until he contacts us. I do hope he makes progress with the Pharaoh. It's all Ancient Egyptian hocus-pocus to me."

"The Ancient Egyptian culture is really fascinating, Honda-kun."

"That's because your grandfather was an amateur-archaeologist who practically raised you to become an Egyptologist."

Yuugi smiled forlornly at the memory of his grandfather. "He had a great fondness of everything Ancient Egyptian, yes. He loved to explore and he has been present at multiple excavations. He broke off his last trip rather abruptly."

"He had to take care of you, I suppose?" Honda said, his voice sympathetic. "You were so young when your mother died, Yuugi. Your father wasn't around, so it was logical for your grandfather to come back to take care of you. He couldn't do that from an excavation site in Egypt."

"His journal is fascinating," Yuugi said, not wanting to touch upon the loneliness he had felt after his mother's death. "I never took the time to read it, until now. Here, he writes about his last trip to the Valley of the Kings, where he discovered the tomb of a nameless Pharaoh. Something happened in that tomb that scared the living daylights out of him, because he went back to Japan and never spoke about Egypt to anyone but me."

Honda nodded, even though he didn't understand why Yuugi was telling this story to him. Yuugi turned the fragile journal around to show it to him. "My grandfather could read hieroglyphs. He mentions the removal of the Pharaoh's name in the tomb; that's a very grave thing to happen, as the Ancient Egyptians believed that when your name was removed, you were denied entrance to the afterlife."

"Wow."

"It could've meant that this Pharaoh was a very bad person… or that someone else has usurped his throne. The tablets my grandfather found in the tomb however, spoke of great deeds and nothing but awe and respect for this Pharaoh in particular."

"Maybe someone was jealous?" Honda offered.

"We probably will never know. But here, if you continue to read this, my grandfather has also described tablets mentioning a holy tribe, Tomb Keepers, who vowed to protect the Pharaoh when the darkness returns. This Pharaoh apparently managed to vanquish that darkness and I first thought that it was some kind of metaphor for an enemy, or an invading army… 'darkness'... here, he referred to it as 'Zorc'."

"Zorc?" Honda repeated, incredulously. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, my grandfather copied and translated the hieroglyphs on the tablets as detailed as possible," Yuugi said. "'A great darkness has befallen'… 'the creator of darkness and despair, Zorc'… why, Honda-kun?"

"Pegasus, Dartz and even Kaiba hired bodyguards from a company called Zorc Security. Maybe the owner took his business name from this obscure Ancient Egyptian reference." Honda didn't sound like he believed it himself. "Do you know if Kaiba has rehired men from Zorc Security?"

"Kaiba-kun has replaced everyone on security detail," Yuugi answered. "I don't know where the current bodyguards come from, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were high-trained special agents who can kill you between two breaths."

"Private forces," Honda muttered. "All right, I'm going to talk to Kaiba about Bakura. I'll be back shortly - don't you start dinner without me!"

* * *

Jounouchi deposited the check in a safe at the local branch of a national bank. He couldn't cash it anyway. He didn't know where the money was coming from; if it was resulting from whatever criminal activity or money laundry operation, he would dirty his hands as well. Who knew where the Pharaoh got his money from; besides, it was evidence. He would leave it at the bank until he could give it to Ushio; the captain would know what to do with it. He was about to leave the bank when his cell phone rang. He picked it up.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Hey Jounouchi," a well-known voice on the other side greeted him, "I've got news for you. I heard you're best buds with the Pharaoh, right?"

"Sure, Keith," Jounouchi said as he searched out a place where he could talk without being overheard. "News sure travels fast."

"You got that right. Listen up, Jounouchi…. we're best buds too, right? You and me. Friends. I helped you out, now I need your help. I want to call in my favor."

 _Oh crap_. This was going to be messy. "Sorry, I can't introduce you," Jounouchi said, lightly. "I didn't speak to the Pharaoh in person. Only his bodyguard."

Keith snorted. "Not even _I_ would think that you got to see and talk to him personally," he said, "Mahaado would kill you before you could even set a step into his direction."

Jounouchi agreed with the American, even though he didn't say it out loud. The bond between Mahaado and the Pharaoh was much more intimate then he could've ever anticipated and the bodyguard was a very loyal, forceful protector. "Let's talk business. Remember the Ryuzaki gang?"

"Yeah, what about them?"

"They're planning another heist," Keith said. "It's pretty big and they need help. A shipment of artifacts and… a lot of other stuff arrives tonight at the harbor."

 _Drugs_ , Jounouchi would wager. From what he learned from Hirutani, the Ryuzaki were big on drugs and their leader was probably looking for some kind of redemption, as their latest heist had consisted of a large number of fake and worthless artifacts. All that the Pharaoh cared about were the artifacts - he either tolerated or simply didn't care for the extracurricular activities.

"Help, huh?"

"I recommended you, my friend, to help out this evening at the docks. The goods need to be transported."

"All right," Jounouchi said. He didn't have much of a choice. He quickly checked his watch. "Do I have time enough for dinner?"

"You better eat up," Keith said rowdily, "It's going to be a long, hard night." He finished the phone call by giving Jounouchi instructions on how to reach the docks and what he needed to do. After he hung up, Jounouchi decided to go back to his motel, get something to eat and a couple of hours of sleep, but not before he phoned in the news about the heist through 'Miho', the secured phone line with Hirutani.

In the dead of night, the Domino City docks looked quite creepy. Jounouchi parked his car behind a warehouse and sauntered over to the working place. Keith was standing out like a sore thumb with his bandanna in the colors of the American flag around his head. He wasn't wearing sunglasses for a change; Jounouchi had expected him to wear them despite the late hour.

"Glad you made it," he grinned. "We've got a lot of work to do." He pointed to the men crawling all over the docks. It was quite a big operation; apparently customs had been paid off to turn a blind eye. "There's a lot of shit that needs to be moved." Keith leaned into Jounouchi. "Check the boxes thoroughly," he said, keeping his voice low. "If you find any good items, give them to me."

Jounouchi played dumb, nodded and left for one of the big sea containers, at least 12 meters long and almost 3 meters high. Keith didn't even hide the fact that he wanted Jounouchi to double-cross the Ryuzaki gang; stealing from them would be the dumbest thing he could ever do. Still, Jounouchi made sure to get the hell away from Keith. He entered the large container and ignored the men walking in and out, and the ones busy checking and unloading goods from big, metal boxes: high-tech electronics, both for domestic and corporate use, a lot of knockoff iPads and iPhones based on leaked designs and a lot of gadgets. Jounouchi had expected drugs, he didn't know the Ryuzaki gang dealt in electronics. Well, whatever. He wasn't going to risk his cover by stealing a crappy, cheap knock off Samsung. He ventured further into the container, climbing over boxes and crates. In the back, more crates and boxes, stacked and piled together. He discovered a bundle of paperwork; the inventory lists, with all the signatures and stamps forged. Jounouchi heard voices and recognized Keith's harsh one immediately. He was issuing orders as if he was the one running the entire operation. "Tetsuyo, move those crates to this corner. Hey, you there - careful! If you break one of these plasma screens, you're going to pay for it yourself!"

Jounouchi retreated even further. Keith Howard was an opportunistic idiot and he wanted to stay away from him. Everything seemed to go smoothly, but Jounouchi had tipped off his colleagues about this heist. He had received no reaction, but it wouldn't surprise him if Hirutani was going to let this go. Sometimes you had to throw the small fry back to catch the real, big fish. Jounouchi climbed over another stack of wooden boxes. He reached an open space and his attention fell upon a small, rectangular box, wedged between two crates. Curiously, Jounouchi reached for it. The small box was dusty and covered with sand. It looked very old. It had a shipping list attached to it; Jounouchi took out the document and read, in poorly translated Japanese, that this was a shipment for the National Museum, containing a golden artifact from Deir-el-Medina. Intrigued, he pried the box open, careful to not get splinters in his hands or fingers. The box was filled with packaging material, those typical foam peanuts used to prevent damage to fragile objects during shipping. Jounouchi sunk his hands into them, searching for the artifact. Hissing, he withdrew his right hand as he cut himself; befuddled, he stared at a small drop of blood forming at the edge of the cut. He pulled out the artifact with his left hand, slowly. It was a golden… rod, with a sphere mounted on top of it, and on both sides of the sphere was a winged ornament, its edges razor sharp. He gasped. On the sphere was the same, stylized eye as on Isis' necklace and Bakura's Ring. But whereas Isis' necklace had been pure beauty, this… thing was pure _evil_ , he could feel it. No way Keith, or anyone else, was going to get his hands on it! Quickly he put it back in the box.

"Hey Jounouchi! What are you doing back there? You got something?"

 _Fuck!_ Jounouchi heaped the foam peanuts on top of the artifact and rammed the box back into its original place. "Nothing!" He straightened himself and turned around to face Keith, only to stare into another, very familiar face.

"Jounouchi-daimyo," Marik said mockingly, with a demonic grin on his face that bared his teeth like a predator. "What a surprise!"

"You know him?" Keith asked, his voice shrill. "He's just a low-tier lackey! I asked him to help out because I could use all hands on deck."

Malik showed up next to Marik, his face dark and gloomy. "We know him," was all that he said. Jounouchi's mind raced a mile a minute. What was he supposed to do? He had calculated the risk of running into the Ishtar brothers sooner or later, but he hadn't expected them to show up at a Ryuzaki heist. What were they doing here? Why weren't they with their own gang, the Rare Hunters?

"You touched something that belongs to me," Marik said. "I can feel it. You touched it, you dirty, dirty lowlife peasant. It won't work for you. It's _mine_."

"Marik, we don't know-" Malik started, but Marik stared at him with his creepy pupil-less eyes and he shut up. Keith looked from one to another.

"What's going on here?"

"Take out your gun," Malik said, regaining his confidence. "Point it at him. He's a cop."

"What?" Keith turned red in the face, frantically trying to save his own hide. "A cop? I knew it!"

"You knew _nothing_ ," Marik said coldly, "you _know_ nothing. The shadows are awakening, and they're fucking hungry!" He came straight at Jounouchi, reached for him and shoved him aside as if he weighed nothing, not even allowing him the time to get into a fighting stance.

"Do you know how long I've been waiting for this?" Greedily, he grabbed the box and tore it apart. He fished out the artifact and cradled it to his chest like a newborn.

"Marik," Malik said.

"What does your sister think of all of this?" Jounouchi asked. "You're robbing her museum, you ungrateful idiots!"

The next second, Marik lashed out and the tip of the sphere's wing cut Jounouchi's cheek open. He staggered backwards. From the corner of his eye, he could see Keith waving his gun around. This was bad, this was really bad. He was going to get killed if he didn't come up with a solution fast!

"Leave my sister out of this." Malik spoke with a trembling voice. It wasn't excitement, it was… fear. Marik was getting out of control now that he had the artifact - no, his _Item,_ Jounouchi was very sure of it. Marik's face was distorted, a mixture of hunger and excitement, licking his lips after he had drawn blood. Jounouchi's knees locked up. He couldn't move even if he wanted to. He was driven into a corner, no way out, literally standing with his back against the wall. To Jounouchi's dismay, Marik separated the Item, taking the cover off of the shaft, revealing a razor sharp blade.

"Pretty Isis-sister has gone too far," he hissed, lifting the Item up. _Fuck, he was going to stab him through the eye!_ "Do not mention her ever again!"

"You're not the demon," Jounouchi said, his breathing erratic. "You are a Tomb Keeper! You have vowed to protect the Pharaoh!"

It didn't have the desired effect. If anything, Marik got incredibly angry. He screamed something unintelligible and jumped at Jounouchi. Pain exploded in his shoulder as the blade tore through flesh, muscles and bone. He cried out and fell to the hard floor, adding to the pain and intensifying it tenfold. He gasped for breath and his body curled up into the fetal position. Blood soaked his shirt and he heard rambunctious laughter. Marik closed in on him, ready to stab him once more. Trembling, Jounouchi tried to move his arm in an attempt to retrieve his gun. Why hadn't Keith shot him yet? Someone screamed, and it wasn't him or Marik. Loud noises, gunfire, echoing in the large container. All hell broke lose: a cacophony of voices, yells and screams, people shoving each other around, and Jounouchi couldn't make any sense out of it. Had Hirutani and his men arrived, busting the Ryuzaki gang? His vision started to blur. He was going to bleed to death, he needed medical attention. Jounouchi didn't know where Malik and Marik had disappeared to, and Keith was nowhere to be seen either. Excruciating slow, he managed to get on his knees. Everything hurt. The metallic scent of blood reached his nose, making him feel nauseous. He didn't want to faint. He wasn't going to die in a sea container on the cold hard floor, damnit! If he could just straighten himself and retrieve his cell phone... Every movement send waves of agony through his body, but he refused to cry out again. He wasn't going to give anyone the satisfaction of hearing Jounouchi Katsuya cry like a baby for mercy! His fingers went into his pants pocket. He breathed heavily. Oh Gods no, now he was pushing his phone further down! Who designed these fucking pants to have such tight pockets? Jounouchi fumbled, all the while fighting against the blood loss and the pain. He started to get dizzy and he blinked. _No, focus, focus_! The loud noise seemed to have died down, but another sound came very close to him. Footsteps, strangely enough. He could hear them despite everything else. Someone coming to help him? He turned his head into the direction of the footsteps. He struggled to look up. Now he was sure he was losing it.

"Yuugi," he said, as he recognized his friend. What was he doing here? "Yuugi, call an ambulance. My shoulder… he stabbed me… I'm losing too much blood…"

A purplish light was visible behind Yuugi, but his facial features were obscured in the dark of the environment. His typical hair was unmistakably recognizable, though.

"Yuugi, my phone…" His eyes slid close. It was just too much effort to keep them open. Jounouchi tried to look at his friend one more time, one last time. For a brief moment, he wondered if this was what Amelda had seen when he was about to lose consciousness. This blurred vision, so much darkness yet with hints of red and gold… and then Jounouchi knew no more.

When he opened his eyes again, Jounouchi shot up straight in his bed, gasping out loud. His heartbeat went up furiously and he felt dizzy. He calmed himself down by inhaling and exhaling slowly. He wasn't in any danger. Even more so, he wasn't in any pain. His body didn't hurt at all! Someone had dressed him in a simple beige garb, a long nightgown with short sleeves. Jounouchi pulled it down to look at his shoulder. No scar. No mark. He was sure the rod had gone through and through, the nasty dagger piercing through flesh, skin and bone. The cut on his cheek was gone as well. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and his feet touched a heavy rug, its hair tickling the soles of his feet. The room was sparsely furnished; aside from the bed, there was only a tall dresser and a cupboard. Jounouchi opened the door of the cupboard and found his clothes, neatly cleaned and folded, along with a new shirt. His gun was missing. He dressed himself, meanwhile wondering where he could be. This wasn't a hospital room. The porcelain basin on the dresser contained cold water and he used some to splash his face. Jounouchi put on his jacket and shoes and wondered if the door was locked. It was a silly hunch, but he had an inkling where he was… but why would he have been brought _here_ , of all places? He went to the door, put his hand on the handle and opened it. Silence. He was in the same hallway, but on the other end from where he had eavesdropped on Mahaado and the Pharaoh and witnessed them kissing each other. The mansion breathed the very same warm, welcoming feeling as before. Jounouchi closed the door behind him at the same moment a door further down the hallway, opened. To his relief, it was Mahaado, carrying a basin in his hands. The bodyguard wore completely different attire: a long, sleeveless garb that reached his ankles, adorned with a golden belt and golden shoulder pads. On his head, he wore a crown-like piece that held a cloth, like a veil, covering his hair. They locked eyes with each other, Mahaado looking slightly startled; he had obviously not expected Jounouchi to be up, let alone to see him like this.

He collected himself quickly and walked up towards him. "You have a remarkably strong body," he said, with a bit of respect in his voice. "It made the healing process much easier and simpler."

"You look very different," Jounouchi said, not in a sarcastic way. Mahaado pursed his lips a little.

"It's my traditional dress for when I attend to the Pharaoh."

"Attend? Is something wrong with him?"

"He is resting. He had to sustain me while healing you, Jounouchi Katsuya. He saved your life."

Jounouchi's eyes went wide. "Then I have to thank him!"

"Later, perhaps." Mahaado brusquely turned away. "He must rest now. Follow me downstairs."

Obediently, Jounouchi followed Mahaado downstairs, into the kitchen. The other man dumped the contents of the basin into the sink and set it aside.

"So… you're going to tell me everything about what happened last night, right?" Jounouchi asked.

"You should eat first." Mahaado pulled the cloth from a basket, revealing bread, cheese, grapes, bananas and a small jar of fruit jelly. "And so should I. Healing always drains my energy."

"You're inviting me for lunch?"

A small smile escaped Mahaado, curling his lips. "You are persistently positive, Jounouchi Katsuya."

"Could you do me one favor?"

"You may name your favor, and I shall see if I can fulfill it."

"Please call me just Jounouchi, all right? I'm used to it."

"Jounouchi," Mahaado nodded at him. "Very well."

"May I call you Mahaado, or is there any other name you prefer?"

"Mahaado will do just fine."

"All right. Do you have something to drink?"

"I can make tea, if you like."

"Awesome." Jounouchi left the man to do his preparations while he took the large basket to the wooden table in the kitchen, along with two plates. His stomach grumbled as he sat down. Mahaado soon joined him with cutlery (no chopsticks, but Jounouchi didn't mind), cups and the pot of tea. He poured the tea, in nothing the stern bodyguard anymore, but a sympathetic, caring servant. Jounouchi didn't know why he deserved this kind of treatment; his curiosity was killing him. He left it to the other to start talking, however. First, they made short work of the contents of the basket; the bread was deliciously soft yet crispy, the fruit fresh and the cheese and jelly had a full, rich taste to it. It wasn't anything like Jounouchi's usual kind of lunch, but it all tasted great. On his fourth cup of tea, he leaned back into his chair and stared at Mahaado, who had eaten with much more grace, unlike Jounouchi stuffing his face.

"I should thank you as well for saving my life," he said.

"I follow the Pharaoh's orders," Mahaado said. "He wanted you to live." So, back to the tough, badass bodyguard again, hmm? Jounouchi wasn't about to give up. He liked the caring, helping Mahaado much better than the stern, distant Mahaado.

"He's a wise man."

"Very much so." Mahaado sipped his tea. "I live to serve him."

"How can a Pharaoh be alive in this year and era?" Jounouchi asked bluntly. Mahaado fidgeted with a crust of bread.

"He is not," he finally admitted. "And neither am I."

"What?"

"You do not understand, Jounouchi, but I will explain to you, as best as I can. But before I answer your questions, you will answer one of mine."

"Ask away," Jounouchi said.

"Why did you call the Pharaoh 'Yuugi'?"


	12. Chapter 12

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck!"

Mokuba had stopped counting after Honda's fiftieth 'fuck'. He sat next to an extremely upset Yuugi who held a crumpled handkerchief in his hands, crying loudly. Honda paced back and forth, burning holes into the carpet. Mokuba wrung his hands over and over again. Hirutani stood in the middle of the living room, looking pale and aghast.

"I'm so sorry, guys. I didn't know…"

"Our job is one big risk," Honda cut him short, "but I can't believe that he had the guts to go without me! We're a team!"

"Please Honda-kun," Yuugi cried, "if you were killed too, I … I would have no reason to live!"

"Nonsense, Yuugi," Mokuba said, shocked. "You… you don't mean that!"

Hirutani put his hand on Yuugi's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "I'm so, so sorry. I know you're best friends. I should've been there. When Jounouchi tipped me off about the heist, I … I should've been in charge of the team. I've been doing too much deskwork as of late…"

"You coordinated the entire operation, Hirutani-san," Yuugi said. "You couldn't have known Jounouchi-kun was there. It's not your fault."

"It is!" He balled his fist and punched the armrest. "Jounouchi didn't have enough experience as an undercover agent. I should've stopped him when he suggested it! I should've brought in another agent!"

"No, it's my fault," Honda said, voice strained. "I never should've let him go alone. He talked me out of it… I should've stood my ground! He convinced me…the jerk! _I_ should've been there!"

"You would both end up getting killed," Mokuba said. He tried to console Yuugi as much as he could, but he couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Kaiba stalked into the room.

"What's going on here? Someone died or something?"

"Kaiba, you jerk!" Honda shook his fist in Kaiba's face, but the tall CEO wasn't impressed.

"Well?"

"Kaiba-sama, my name is Hirutani. I'm with the gang taskforce of Domino City Police," Hirutani introduced himself. "I just brought the unfortunate news that Jounouchi has been killed. He had tipped us off that a heist would take place at the docks this evening. The Ryuzaki had received a generous… amount of counterfeit goods. I send out a team to intercept and arrest the Ryuzaki, but Jounouchi… had never mentioned that he was going to be at the raid himself. When the gang opened fire, we returned it… and he was caught in the crossfire."

"Oh. The detective." Kaiba's face was expressionless. "Who's going to solve _my_ case now? The attempt to kidnap and possibly murder my brother?"

"I'll continue the investigation," Honda said, angry.

"You'll be too busy crying and moping about your partner's death," Kaiba said. "I'll talk to the captain to put _competent_ detectives on the case."

Honda lunged at Kaiba, but Hirutani was faster and restrained him, albeit with great difficulty.

"Honda! Sit down. Sit down! Violence won't help matters!"

"No, but it'll be very satisfying," Honda growled.

"Your friend needs you," Hirutani said softly. "He's completely broken. Look at him, Honda. Focus on him, not on Kaiba."

Honda calmed down and went to sit next to Yuugi's other side. He was still crying. Kaiba rolled his eyes.

"I didn't open my mansion to give shelter to crybabies and for the police department to waltz in whenever they please," he said. "And has this threat, this Bakura, been dealt with?"

"Do you even think about anyone else but yourself in your life?" Honda asked bitterly.

"I'm thinking about my brother's safety!"

"Kaiba-sama, everyone is working hard on this case," Hirutani answered. "It has proven to be very, very complex… and Jounouchi had valid theories, but those are now gone forever."

"No, they're not," Honda said, determined. He was looking at Kaiba and missed the surprised, slightly angry look on Hirutani's face. "He told me a lot about his theories, and I'm going to pursue them one by one until I get to the bottom of this!"

"It's the Pharaoh's fault," Hirutani said.

"The Pharaoh?" Kaiba parroted.

"The big boss," Hirutani elaborated. "We hadn't heard of him until six months ago. He's on a frenzied search throughout Domino City to find certain artifacts, and nobody knows why. He had the yakuza under his thumb in just three weeks, and not two weeks after the rest of all the criminal gangs. Anyone who brings him the right artifact can count on his blessing and hard cash, but if you displease him, you're dead. Jounouchi was investigating him, that's why he went undercover. I think he had already established a connection between the Pharaoh and the Ishtar family…"

"The ones with diplomatic immunity," Honda all but spat. "That's just great! What if they are behind this criminal network and installed a big, bad Pharaoh-boss to supervise the whole thing. They even kill cops, and there's nothing we can do about it!"

"If the Ishtars are indeed responsible for Jounouchi's death, then the only repercussion they'll face is deportation," Hirutani said.

"So they'll be send back to their home country and they won't get punished," Mokuba concluded. Kaiba had followed the conversation intensely and snapped at his younger brother.

"This is not your problem, Mokuba. Stay out of it."

"No, nii-sama." A heavy silence fell. Yuugi looked up, smothering another cry in his soaked handkerchief. Even Hirutani looked at Mokuba, baffled. "I want to help. They are my friends. Jounouchi was my friend."

"You can't possibly…" Kaiba sputtered.

"Yes I can, and I will. Jounouchi was kind and funny, and he didn't treat me like the poor-little-less-successful-Kaiba brother," Mokuba said.

"I never treated you like that," Kaiba protested.

"I never said _you_ did. I know how people think about me. It doesn't matter right now, we have more urgent problems to think of."

Honda nodded. "We're going to continue where Jounouchi had to leave off. Are you with me, Yuugi?"

"Y-yes," Yuugi said.

"I understand your grief and sorrow," Hirutani said, "but I have to stop you here, and this time I won't be swayed. We can't have civilians running around trying to solve our cases, and you should know better than to encourage them, detective Honda."

Honda looked a little embarrassed. Kaiba spoke up. "Finally, someone with their brains in the right position," he said. "Mokuba, you're not going anywhere until the security system has been fixed."

Hirutani looked puzzled. "Haven't you hired new security yet, Kaiba-sama?"

"I have hired bodyguards, but the security system I designed myself has… need for maintenance," Kaiba said sourly.

"It has a few glitches," Mokuba explained, ignoring the sudden furious look on his brother's face. "Really, nii-sama, it's not a crime to admit that you can't do everything yourself. You already designed and build the entire system, it's just not 100% complete."

"I _will_ get it fixed," Kaiba said, heatedly.

"Then you might not be safe," Hirutani said. "Who are the new security guys?"

"I trust the law enforcers to do their job," Kaiba bit back. "Now, if this crying fest is over, I want you to leave, now!"

"No!" Mokuba jumped up from the sofa. "Enough, nii-sama! They can stay as long as they want!"

Kaiba's look of surprise at his brother's defiance was priceless, and perhaps funny in any other given circumstances.

"If you really want to," Kaiba said, his voice dark. He turned around and left the room with his tall stride, his back as straight as a ruler.

"Who's going to tell Shizuka-chan?" Yuugi asked, his voice shrill. "And his mother?"

Honda was about to say something, but Hirutani cut him off. "I'll do it, Honda. I take full responsibility. I'll take it upon myself to inform them."

"Thank you," Honda said, relieved. He had brought bad news like this to families before, and it had never been his favorite task, obviously. He didn't know anyone who would enjoy telling a family that a loved one had been killed. He turned towards Yuugi. "If you want to go home, I can take you there," he offered. "I rather think that this environment is better for you, having Mokuba around." He explicitly didn't name the elder Kaiba brother.

"Yes, please stay, Yuugi," Mokuba said. "You shouldn't be alone."

"I'm not sure if this is for the best," Hirutani objected. "I'm not sure if Jounouchi told you this, Mutou-san… but you have a very striking resemblance to the Pharaoh. You might be in danger when you go back to your own home, unprotected."

"Yes, he told me." Yuugi's voice was soft and hitching. "He even asked me if I had a secret twin brother. That was just before he told me that he was going to go undercover." The tears started to flow anew.

"I'm sorry," Hirutani apologized again. "If Kaiba-sama's security system isn't working perfectly yet, you won't be safe here. I want you to come with me, Mutou-san, so I can take you to a safe house. You'll have 24/7 police protection there."

"Nonsense!" Mokuba rushed to his brother's defense. "We have bodyguards, and nii-sama will have ironed out the glitches soon enough! Stay here, Yuugi!"

"I know it's been a very rough evening, but we have to be careful now." Hirutani looked at Honda. "Help me here, Honda. Your friend will nowhere be safer."

"If Yuugi wants to stay here, he stays here." Honda stuck his chin forward. Hirutani shook his head.

"The Pharaoh is a dangerous man. People will come after Yuugi, mistakenly identifying him as the man who…"

"Enough," Honda cut him off. "Go back to the police station, Hirutani. I'll see you there."

Hirutani pursed his lips, but as he noticed nobody was paying attention to him anymore, he turned around and left. Yuugi pressed the soaked handkerchief to his face and lost himself in loud wails. His best friend was dead.

* * *

Time seemed to stand still in this strange mansion. It felt like it was some kind of time capsule, standing outside of time itself. The Ancient Egyptian decorations and Mahaado clad in traditional robes didn't add to a modern atmosphere, yet the mansion felt warm and comfortable, as if everything was going to be all right. Jounouchi sipped his tea once again.

"Mutou Yuugi is a friend of mine," he explained. "A very, very good friend. I met him at high school, back when I was a bully and a gang member. Thanks to his support, I didn't go down the drain. I improved my life and made friends, I swore off violence and trained to become a cop. The reason why I said 'Yuugi'…" He couldn't tell Mahaado that he already had caught a glimpse of the Pharaoh, the other man unaware that Jounouchi had seen the two of them exchanging a kiss. "…when I was lying on the floor, in pain, I guess I was delirious. My vision was blurred, and I saw someone standing over there, who looked like Yuugi... he has a very distinctive hairstyle."

He curiously awaited Mahaado's reaction, fully counting on the man's denial that there could be anyone resembling his Pharaoh. The bodyguard didn't seem surprised or shocked at all.

"I thought so," Mahaado said.

"You _thought_ so?" Jounouchi tilted his head. "Why _was_ the Pharaoh even there? Why did you save me?"

The bodyguard stared into his mug. "We are scouring the city for Items, as you know. We were pulled towards the docks because the Pharaoh sensed the presence of an Item there… but when we arrived, people were shooting and fighting." He waited for a long, drawn-out moment. "Tell me, Jounouchi… do you believe in magic? In otherworldly powers that are unseen, but can be a deadly force when wielded? Do you believe in the power of light and darkness?"

Jounouchi hesitated. "I guess so. After what you did to me the second time I was here, freezing my body so I couldn't move… and now I'm completely healed from a stab to the shoulder, without leaving a scar… yeah, I'm not saying I believe immediately, but I guess you can call me… open-minded?"

"That is better than totally denying it." Mahaado actually smiled. _Smiled_! Jounouchi thought he could be friends with the man, if he wasn't so vicious protective of his Pharaoh. "There is an ongoing war between light and dark, Jounouchi. It is as old as mankind, even older."

"Everyone has a dark side," Jounouchi said. He was ashamed to admit it, but he had enjoyed the brutal violence back in his gang years. He had taken out his own frustrations, about his abusive father and his severely sick sister, on innocent bystanders, and he had enjoyed his power when he robbed unsuspecting tourists or simply beating someone up for the hell of it. It wasn't something he was proud of.

"Agreed." Mahaado took his time to eat another piece of bread. "But the powers of light and dark are more than a dark side to a person. It is an all-encompassing force that drives the world. There will always be dark and light, and there will always be war. And right now, the darkness is winning."

"I was afraid you would say that."

"It is not that simple, Jounouchi. Three millennia ago, light achieved a great victory over darkness. Thanks to the Pharaoh, darkness was completely banned out of this world. It came at a great cost: his life."

Jounouchi forgot to drink his tea. "He died?"

"He sacrificed his life to seal the darkness away," Mahaado continued. "He could not do it on his own, so he used his Item of power. The Sennen Puzzle."

"Sennen Puzzle," Jounouchi parroted.

"It is one of seven Sennen Items in total. You already encountered two of them: the Sennen Ring and the Sennen Rod."

"Bakura and Marik."

"There you have it," Mahaado said. "The darkness incarnated."

"Go on," Jounouchi encouraged the other.

"The Sennen Items were distributed amongst the six Priests serving the Pharaoh. I was the original owner of the Ring until I was killed by Bakura."

"Holy fuck!" Jounouchi blurted out.

"It is complicated." Mahaado showed a weary grin. "A lot of powers were involved, powers that were completely normal in Ancient Egypt, but are non-existent in this current world. I expected you to run for the hills from all this talk about magic and dark powers, but you are surprisingly resilient."

"I can't imagine Bakura Ryou…"

"Not him." Mahaado shook his head, a tone of regret in his voice. "And not Malik, either. Their dark sides. They manifest with the help of an Item. Or in Malik's case, by a human sacrifice."

"You're kidding!"

"I most certainly am not. Malik had a brother, Rishid. I am very sure that Malik's dark side has overpowered him and took his life to obtain a physical form in this world. Bakura Ryou is serving as a host to the real Bakura, who is in possession of the Ring."

" _Yadonushi-sama_ ," Jounouchi said.

"You have met the Dark Bakura?" Mahaado's voice was strained.

"Yeah. He dumped a table on me."

"You are most fortunate, Jounouchi. Both Dark Malik and Dark Bakura have tried to kill you, and you have managed to survive."

"Yeah, lucky fucking me."

"This is not a matter to mock. Bakura Ryou is in real danger. He probably does not know what is going on and does not realize he is going to be in even more trouble once Dark Bakura finds a suitable physical body to permanently reside in."

"Creepy." Jounouchi mulled over Mahaado's words and suddenly piped up: "Hey! Why didn't he take _my_ body?"

"I am not sure, but you should be very grateful that he did not," Mahaado said sternly. "First of all, you would have died and second, with a body, Dark Bakura is even more dangerous."

"So…" Something clicked in his mind. "…if the Pharaoh wields one of those Sennenen Items as well…"

"Sennen," Mahaado corrected him.

"… he's a Dark Side too?"

"He is," Mahaado admitted. "Just like your friend Yuugi is his light side. The Pharaoh is nothing short of God, but he has darkness inside him because he shouldered it millennia ago to save the world from total destruction. It takes tremendous strength to seal the shadows away, and he sacrificed his life."

"And the Items… are used for darkness?"

"The Items were created to strengthen and power the light." Mahaado didn't look at Jounouchi when he continued. "However, their… origins have corrupted them and now the Items can be used for darkness as well. In fact, that is why Bakura is looking for them so religiously. With all the Items combined, he wants to call forward the God of Darkness."

"And who might that be?"

"Zorc Necrophades," Mahaado said. Jounouchi dropped his teacup.

"The security guy?"

"What do you mean?"

"Zorc Security is the biggest security company in town! They provided bodyguards for… fuck..!"

Mahaado looked confused. "What? What is wrong?"

"Pegasus, Dartz, Kaiba… they all had the same security company! That's why Bakura had access and opportunity to kill the CEO's!"

"Bakura is the King of Thieves," Mahaado said. "He can steal your soul and you would not notice until it is too late."

Jounouchi hit the table with his fist. "Yuugi is at Kaiba's manor! If Bakura goes after Kaiba again, he's in big trouble!"

Mahaado looked pensive. "This is serious. I should talk to the Pharaoh. If his light side is in trouble…"

"He _is_ ," Jounouchi said. "I know it!"

"Yes, I will talk to him immediately." Mahaado rose from his seat.

"I'll go with you," Jounouchi said. "I can explain as well."

"No. You will stay here."

"Hey look, I appreciate the both of you saving my life, and I'm prepared to do everything you want me to do to solve all this, but I _need_ to talk to the Pharaoh. My best friend is in trouble, and I don't have the time to deal with ancient traditions or rituals or whatever. Just let me fucking talk to him!"

"Fine. You will meet him." Mahaado turned around brusquely. _Finally!_ Jounouchi followed the bodyguard up the stairs along the hallway. He halted in front of the same room Jounouchi had seen him and the Pharaoh before and knocked on the door. Without awaiting an answer, he opened the door to enter.

"Great Pharaoh," he announced himself, "I have arrived."

The room was far bigger than Jounouchi had imagined. A sandalwood and spicy scent hung in the air, the large open fire place lit and spreading warmth all over. A divan was placed at both the east and west walls, adorned with richly embroidered pillows. The midnight-blue, velvet curtains were closed. Atop the mantle of the fire place he could see a row of figurines of Egyptian deities. The Pharaoh was shielded from view due to the high back chair he was sitting in. Jounouchi traipsed after Mahaado, who approached the large chair with reverence. He couldn't help it, his heart started to beat faster and faster. Finally he would see him, full frontal view! Mahaado came to stand in front of the chair and Jounouchi stood next to him. He gawked. The Pharaoh turned his head towards them. Long, golden earrings - which looked pretty heavy - reached his shoulders and framed his face: a sharper, harsher visage than Yuugi's rounder, open appearance. The golden bangs and the even wilder multi-colored spikes were conspicuous, but his eyes were even more striking. Narrow, burning red eyes framed with long, black lashes, looking at him with an astounding confidence, bordering on arrogance that matched… no, surpassed Kaiba's. Jounouchi's jaw went slack. He never thought _that_ had ever been possible. _Red eyes like blood, dark lines like the depth of a grave_. This was the 'beautiful, pretty darkness mine' that Marik had rambled about? A golden crown with a familiar stylized eye was nestled in his hair, and along with the broad golden collar around his neck and shoulders, he was also wearing golden rings and bracers. If that wasn't enough, Jounouchi's eyes were drawn to the large, golden Puzzle: an upside-down pyramid, with another stylized eye on the front, resting against his chest. The Pharaoh was dressed in traditional garb, like the first time Jounouchi had seen him wearing when he peeked through the door. A wide, purple cape completed his outfit. Mahaado bowed to him and said something. The Pharaoh answered, his voice much lower and deeper than Yuugi's, and brimming with authority.

"Hey! Speak Japanese, you tourists!" Jounouchi said. The next moment he found himself on the floor, in a kneeling position, his head painfully pressed against the carpet. It felt like something incredibly heavy weighed down on his back. He grunted.

"You will not speak unless spoken to," Mahaado said. Every bit of empathy had disappeared from his voice. "You are in the presence of the Great Pharaoh. You will pay proper respect to him and you will do as you have been told!"

"Mahaado." It was the Pharaoh's voice, and immediately, the weight was gone from his back. "Stand up, Jounouchi Katsuya."

He got up and shot a deadly glare at Mahaado. The man stared right back at him, totally reverted to his modus as bodyguard. Jounouchi patted the sleeve of his jacket as if removing dust, even though this room was cleaner than anything he had ever seen.

"Thank you, eh… Pharaoh." Jounouchi was obviously not speaking with the right amount of respect, as Mahaado looked like he wanted to kill him right there on the spot. "I would also like to thank you for saving my life."

The Pharaoh nodded. It was creepy how he looked so much alike Yuugi, yet the idea of him actually _being_ Yuugi, was too funny for words. His shy, reclusive friend as a Pharaoh!

"You have a strong sense of justice, Jounouchi. We require your help in this."

Not a 'would you like to help us?' or a plea, but a command. Jounouchi got slightly annoyed.

"I want to help you, but I first want my friend to be safe. Save him the way you saved me, with your magic and stuff," Jounouchi said. Mahaado all but growled.

"The Pharaoh must rest. I have told you how much of his strength it took to help me to heal you. Do not underestimate the situation, Jounouchi."

"Is my light side not safe with Set?" The Pharaoh suddenly asked, his eyes aimed at Mahaado. Before the other could answer, Jounouchi spoke up.

"Seto," Jounouchi corrected him. "Kaiba has a big house, but I just figured out Bakura is a killer and a thief, and I don't think Yuugi will be safe…"

"The Thief was supposed to be incarcerated," the Pharaoh said, sharply. "How come he has escaped?"

Mahaado looked embarrassed, but directed his dismay at Jounouchi. "We had high hopes of this current world and technology to keep the Thief in one place. Do not tell me that you cannot keep track of prisoners?"

"He had help," Jounouchi said, impatiently. "Zorc."

"The Dark God has not risen yet," the Pharaoh snapped. "I will sacrifice my life again to make sure he will not be summoned again!"

"Great Pharaoh, no!" Mahaado sounded aghast.

"Zorc Security," Jounouchi elaborated. "It's a company that's involved with major security projects in the city. They provide bodyguards, cameras, gates… everything you need to build your own fort. Even the security cameras at the police station are from Zorc Security."

"We thought the biggest threat would come from Marik and his Rare Hunters," the Pharaoh said. "While our attention was focused elsewhere, Bakura build his own network to infiltrate and corrupt this society. This is a grave error." He heaved a sigh. "A costly mistake that I have to rectify, immediately. If necessary, I will call forth the gods from the heavens to cleanse this city and nation!"

He got up from his chair so fast that Jounouchi barely saw him move, but Mahaado was even faster. The Pharaoh wavered, but before he could topple over, Mahaado was at his side, stabilizing him.

"You have not rested enough, Pharaoh."

"There is no more time to rest, Mahaado. I told you before. We will have to bring my light side here…"

" _I_ will bring him here." Mahaado's voice was stern. "I cannot perform my task if you lack energy, Pharaoh. Please."

Jounouchi could see the sheer willpower that kept the Pharaoh standing upright. After some more coaxing from Mahaado, the Pharaoh sank back into his chair and mumbled something intelligible.

"I will bring you tea," Mahaado said. "Then I will execute your orders, Pharaoh." He shooed at Jounouchi. "We will go downstairs."

"But…Yuugi!"

"We will go and get him," Mahaado said. "But first, I will bring the Pharaoh his tea." Jounouchi wanted to strangle the man. The world was at stake in this war of light and darkness, and this man was fussing about bringing the Pharaoh his goddamn tea! Jounouchi had no other choice but to follow Mahaado downstairs. Whatever happened, he didn't want to invoke Mahaado's wrath.


	13. Chapter 13

Yuugi tossed and turned in his bed, unable to fall asleep. Jounouchi… how was it even possible? Dead… no, he wasn't dead, he simply couldn't be! How was he, Yuugi, going to lead his life without his best friend? Jounouchi had always been there for him. Sure, they started off on the wrong foot as Jounouchi had been a bully to him at first, but that had quickly changed. Modest as he was, Yuugi didn't even take credit for helping Jounouchi to transform into a person who didn't see violence as a way to get what he wanted, a person who was better balanced and who started to believe in a positive future, instead of clinging to a negative past. They had been through a lot together. Jounouchi's worries about his sister Shizuka and her complicated eye-surgery, fearing that she would lose her sight after all. His worries about going to the police academy and if it was the right choice for him. Yuugi had helped him to deal with his insecurities about his life and education, and Jounouchi had been there at the funeral of Yuugi's grandfather, supporting and consoling him with his grief.

"You're not dead, Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi whispered into his pillow. "I refuse to believe you're gone!" He knew exactly what was happening to him; as a psychologist, he had helped his clients through the various stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. He was currently going through denial and anger - no way was he going to accept Jounouchi's death! It just wasn't possible! Not until he saw his body, and even then he would have a hard time believing it. Yuugi pressed his face into his pillow, trying to smother another bout of crying. Hirutani hadn't mentioned anything about a wake or a funeral service, and Honda had left for the police station before Yuugi could ask. He decided to ask first thing in the morning. Turning around once again, he pulled up the blankets, ignoring the wet pillow. He wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon. Kaiba had allowed him to stay at his manor, but only because Mokuba had threatened not to talk to him for a year if he'd send Yuugi away. The silence was eerie. He was inclined to turn a radio on, just to hear some sound. The darkness of his room overwhelmed him and his thoughts were going into several directions, fueling his anxiety. Suddenly, he heard a click. The door to his room went open. His body froze. The attempt to kidnap Mokuba was still fresh in his memories. Was it now his turn to get kidnapped, or even killed..? Yuugi stopped breathing, his heart hammered in his chest.

"It's me, Yuugi," a well-known voice whispered in the dark. Yuugi felt relief wash all over him.

"Mokuba-kun," he whispered in return. "Come in."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No problem." Yuugi reached over and turned on the light on his nightstand. Mokuba was half-way through the room, looking pale and haggard. "What's wrong, Mokuba-kun? Are you feeling ill?"

"I couldn't sleep," he said. "So many nightmares."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Did you sleep well?"

"I haven't slept at all," Yuugi answered.

"Move over," Mokuba said, showing a watery grin. "I'm not going to hump you, or something like that."

Yuugi scooted over, as the bed was large enough to house an entire family. Mokuba slipped under the covers and curled up a little, leaving some space between him and Yuugi.

"I can't believe it," he said.

"Me neither." Yuugi curled up as well, trying to find some comfort for his tensed body. "It's just not right."

"Not right indeed." Mokuba balled his fists. "And there's nothing we can do!"

"We have to trust the police," Yuugi said.

"Fuck the police!" Mokuba was taken aback by his own words. "Sorry."

"It's okay. We're all upset."

"Except for my brother." Mokuba snorted. "He's so occupied with his VR system that he doesn't care about anything else. He wants it to be perfect. He's convinced it's the only thing that can keep us safe."

"He doesn't really trust his bodyguards, does he?"

"No. They're human, and prone to make mistakes."

Yuugi disagreed with Kaiba's reasoning. "The VR system makes mistakes too."

"Not after my brother's finished with it. He told me that he only has to work out the strange behavior with the power flux."

"The strange behavior with the power flux," Yuugi repeated, completely blank. Mokuba couldn't help but grin.

"The power that supports the VR system won't reach full capacity somehow," he explained. "It leaks away or is being drained by whatever process, and my brother can't find what causes it. Unless he knows what or where the obstruction is, he can't guarantee that the system is 100% operational."

"As demonstrated when Bakura-kun almost managed to grab you."

"Who is this Bakura anyway?"

"He was a classmate of mine, polite and calm," Yuugi answered. "I didn't think he'd ever go down the wrong road. He kept very much to himself though, like he didn't want to give people a chance to get close to him. I do remember that his father was always away, just like mine."

"I guess you never get to really know people, huh?"

"I'm afraid that's my fault, too. I failed to involve Bakura-kun into my circle of friends and gave up on him too easily so yes, I didn't really get to know him."

"My brother doesn't want people to get close to him either," Mokuba said, sighing. "He wasn't always like that, though. He used to be a lot more compassionate. If it hadn't been for Gozaburo and his awful influence, my brother probably wouldn't have lost that caring side of his. I know he cares for me, but right now he's going totally overboard. Since the attempted kidnapping, he doesn't leave me out of his sight for a second and treats me like a six-year old. Which I no longer am."

"Kaiba-kun knows that you're growing up," Yuugi said. "He's afraid of losing you."

"I would never leave my brother," Mokuba said, aghast.

"It's a deep-rooted fear in every one of us," Yuugi answered. "The fear of losing someone. I've lost my mother at a young age and my grandfather passed away recently. And Jounouchi-kun… he's my best friend, I regard him as family."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Yuugi."

"It's not only because of death," Yuugi continued. "Sometimes losing someone who's drifting away… can be even more painful. There's nothing worse than seeing someone turning away from you, that you grow apart from a loved one."

"That's indeed tough," Mokuba said, pensively. Then, he blushed, if only a little. "But I want to be in a relationship someday, Yuugi. I want to have a wife and kids! That is… if my brother ever gives me permission to leave the manor to find the woman of my dreams." His eyes went wide, as if a great revelation dawned to him, an epiphany of some sorts. "Do you think that's why my brother is so distant and aloof in his relationship towards others?"

"Nobody likes to get hurt." Yuugi hugged his pillow close, ignoring the soaked fabric. "You and your brother have already gone through so much pain. You lived at an orphanage, never having known your biological parents, and you ended up with an abusive, cruel adoptive father. No wonder Kaiba-kun has so many walls around him. It's a miracle you haven't closed yourself off to others like your brother, Mokuba-kun. It's a deep-rooted fear of being hurt and being left alone. Hell has to freeze over before he would ever admit it, of course. That's why he's keeping such a strict eye on you. He knows that you want to move away from under his wings, but he rather keeps you close, refusing to acknowledge your independence."

"I never looked at it that way," Mokuba said. A weak grin. "It's handy to have someone with psychological insight around."

"You and your brother have been a tag-team for so long. That makes you blind for each other's flaws. We all have flaws, as well as our good sides and our bad sides."

"True." Mokuba was silent for a moment. "You don't have a relationship either at the moment, right, Yuugi?"

Yuugi was a little surprised by the question, throwing him off guard. He could always refuse to answer the question, but Mokuba had answered all of his and in this strange, intimate atmosphere - while not of a sexual nature - Yuugi felt safe and comfortable enough to tell Mokuba anything, the truth about his own emotions, despite knowing him for such a short amount of time.

"I fell in love with a girl a while ago," Yuugi said. "If she had asked me for the moon, I would've done anything in my power to retrieve it for her."

Mokuba listened attentively. "That's hopelessly romantic. What happened?"

"I thought she reciprocated," Yuugi continued, "but I was too shy and afraid to ask her. I had many chances, many opportunities, and I passed up on all of them, until she moved on. My lackluster attitude encouraged her to look for someone else. Who would like a boyfriend who barely has any confidence anyway?"

"You don't come across as someone without confidence."

"I'm very confident in my work," Yuugi answered. "But when it comes to relationships, I'm hopeless. I just didn't dare, afraid to get hurt, afraid to get rejected. I'd rather have her as a friend, then ruin everything by becoming her lover and disappoint her. I never spoke up, and she went on to meeting and dating other people. I was the to-go-guy when she wanted to talk about her boyfriend, she was just happy to be my friend. It was the most I could get from her, and I don't blame her. It's not her fault that I didn't have the guts to act upon my emotions."

"You're a good person," Mokuba said, "but it sounds heart-wrenching to see the girl you love, be with another guy."

"It is, but it's my mistake." Yuugi's voice went up a notch, a fake, too casual pitch. It was all still painful to think of. "If I had spoken up, she would've known. She could've rejected me, of course, but then _I_ would've known, instead of thinking 'what if', 'why couldn't I approach her', etcetera."

"Relationships sure are complicated," Mokuba said. He shivered. "I know there's someone wonderful out there for us. One for me and one for you."

Yuugi smiled at Mokuba's child-like conviction. Mokuba still _was_ a child, which was quite easy to forget with his mature attitude. "I know there's someone wonderful out there for us," he repeated, as if making some kind of secret promise. A moment of silence. Mokuba closed his eyes and after a while, Yuugi thought he had fallen asleep. However, he opened his eyes again and spoke up.

"I'm having these nightmares of Gozaburo," he said. "Whenever I'm stressed, he always appears in my dreams."

"Considering what he has done to the both of you…"

"Yeah." Mokuba pulled the blankets even closer. "Sometimes I think he's alive and scurrying around in the basement at KaibaCorp., rebuilding his army just to spite us."

"Could he… still be alive?" Yuugi asked tentatively, unaware about Gozaburo's fate.

"No. He committed suicide soon after my brother took over the business by jumping out of the window. Believe me, there's no way he could've survived the fall."

"I see." Yuugi didn't know what to say.

Mokuba heaved a sigh. "That man really was a devil in disguise. After all that talk about darkness, I just can't stop thinking about him. He keeps popping up in my mind."

"I understand, Mokuba-kun. Darkness scares us all, and in the depths of our mind…"

"It's like running in circles," Mokuba interrupted him. "My brother always says to look for the pattern. There's always a pattern."

"He doesn't believe in coincidence? Sheer luck? Fate?"

"Not at all." Mokuba snorted. "My brother only believes something when he can see it with his own eyes or touch it with his own hands, and even then some. Even randomness is a pattern, he says. Everything is connected, connection is everything."

Now Yuugi was silent. "Zorc," he said.

"What?"

"I think Zorc is the connection."

"You lost me. You mean our previous bodyguards? They worked for…"

"Zorc Security. It's everywhere. _He_ 's everywhere."

"I know that we used to employ them," Mokuba said. "They were the best in town."

"My grandfather's notes mention Zorc." Yuugi shot up straight and climbed over Mokuba to get out of bed. He rummaged through the stuff on the desk in the guestroom and pulled out a small, black notebook. "Here. When he was still an amateur-archaeologist, my grandfather visited a Pharaoh's tomb once. He never talked about what really happened there, but he stopped going to Egypt and his archaeological business altogether shortly after that. Look…" Yuugi leafed through the notebook, "he made meticulous copies of the hieroglyphs, and here he mentions Zorc. The God of Darkness. When he arises again, it's the end of the world as we know it."

Mokuba's eyes went wide. "Did you show that to Jounouchi?"

"Yes, I did. He said that it had to be a coincidence that a security business had chosen an obscure Ancient Egyptian reference as their name."

"Sounds like Jounouchi all right." Mokuba looked at Yuugi's grandfather's drawings. "Can you read that? Can you translate the rest of the hieroglyphs?"

"Unfortunately, no. My grandfather points out a couple of times that the name of the Pharaoh is missing, though."

"I'll call for an Ancient Egyptian expert first thing in the morning! If there's some kind of clue in your grandfather's notes, we'll find it!"

"A clue? Mokuba-kun, this isn't Scooby Doo…" Yuugi said.

"I don't care. I don't care how vague or obscure the reference or clue is. There's always a pattern, like my brother said. If Ancient Egypt Zorc ties into modern-day Zorc Security somehow, we'll find it. We can help Honda...and Jounouchi. We have to do this, Yuugi."

Yuugi mulled over his words. Mokuba was right, of course. It wouldn't hurt to check it out, no matter how vague or obscure it was, indeed. And if they could help Honda and Jounouchi with it…

"We have to do this," he repeated. "We'll do this, Mokuba-kun."

* * *

Mahaado came down the stairs again, his steps calm and controlled. He had taken the opportunity to change clothes, exchanging his traditional garb for a comfortable, dark-purplish outfit. He had pulled his hair back into a ponytail again and a couple of wayward strands had escaped the confinement, framing his face. He carried Jounouchi's gun and handed it to him.

"In case you were wondering where it was," Mahaado said. "I have no knowledge of modern weapons, but I did not want you to use it to threaten the Pharaoh."

"You have no knowledge of modern weapons," Jounouchi said, baffled, "yet you run a mighty crime syndicate?"

"A mighty crime syndicate?" Now it was Mahaado's turn to be baffled. "What are you talking about? We used some… ah, coercion to get the gangs and yakuza working together, but only to find the Items. With just the two of us, it was going to take forever to look for them, and I did not want the Pharaoh to spend even more of his energy."

"Two CEOs got killed," Jounouchi said. He first had to explain to him what a CEO was, and then Mahaado shook his head.

"We have not laid a finger on anyone. The Pharaoh is a benevolent King, not a wrathful, ruthless leader. He has never ordered me to kill, and I would defy that order should I receive it."

Jounouchi wasn't so sure if Mahaado actually would do that, judging from their relationship. The Pharaoh could probably ask for an entire army and Mahaado would build it for him in a heartbeat.

"I am sorry about the CEO's," Mahaado continued. "They had family and loved ones who mourn them, and I will mourn them in my prayers. Nobody deserves to lose his life like that."

So the Pharaoh wasn't responsible for Pegasus' and Dartz' death. That was a relief to know, but how could he, Jounouchi, prove it? Shove the Pharaoh into the captain's face and tell him about mythical artifacts and people going nuts over it?

"With many more people looking for the Items, the faster we would find them," Mahaado said. "It also meant that more people would learn of their existence. It was a risk we had to take, to draw out Marik and Bakura."

"How many of the Items do you have right now?"

"The Pharaoh owns the Puzzle and I managed to collect the Scales and the Key. You brought me the Tauk. Marik has the Rod, Bakura the Eye and the Ring."

"Eye..?" Jounouchi was reminded of something. "Pegasus, the first CEO to be killed, wore it, or at least we think he did. I don't know how or why he obtained it… "

"That is simply the mystery of the Items. They show up somewhere, whether you like it or not. Bakura has killed him for it, by taking it out without mercy."

"How are you so sure that Bakura did it?"

"If it had been Marik, you probably would not have been able to identify the victim, because of the sheer violence he uses," Mahaado said deadpan. "From what you told me, it was a fast person, using the shadows, and that is Bakura to me. Patient planning and flawless execution, like the cunning thief he is."

"Poor Bakura," Jounouchi said. "The real one, that is. Ryou."

"Yes. Bakura of Darkness has overpowered him, and it is not going to be easy to separate them again. We are here to destroy this evil, this darkness. It might end for him by losing his life."

"No! You're not serious!"

"I am always, _very_ serious. You should know that by now, Jounouchi."

Jounouchi was stupefied for the moment. "Can we leave now? We have to get Yuugi, as soon as possible."

"Yes, we leave now."

Mahaado went to the front door of the mansion and Jounouchi asked: "Where's your broomstick?"

"A broomstick?"

"Yeah, you can do magic… so you can fly, right?"

"I am a magician, not a witch, Jounouchi."

"But you _can_ fly, right?"

Mahaado snorted. "Only when I summon my Kaa monster, my Magus of Fantasy Illusion. I do not summon him lightly, and certainly not to perform physical tasks."

"A 'Kaa monster'," Jounouchi said. "Right."

"This is not the time to educate you on the holy pantheon of our Ancient Egyptian Gods, the physics of reincarnation and the way we regard the soul. We have to go."

Jounouchi nodded and followed Mahaado out the door. "Just one more thing," he said. "If you can summon this flying thingie, is there something the Pharaoh can summon too?"

Mahaado looked at him as if he had sprouted a second head. "He summons Gods, Jounouchi."


	14. Chapter 14

When they arrived at the Kaiba Manor, it was obvious that something was wrong, very wrong. The iron gate was wrought open, the bars pulled apart in a grotesque manner, as if a giant had punched the metal. Jounouchi took out his gun and cocked it. The manor was shrouded in darkness; the electricity had been cut. The front door stood wide open. No one was in sight. Where were the bodyguards? Kaiba had beefed up security after the attempt to kidnap his younger brother, hadn't he?

"What are you waiting for?" Jounouchi hissed at Mahaado, who took his time walking up to him. He calmly studied the footsteps on the stairs and the splintered wood of the front door, frowning at the mindless destruction.

"Can you make some light?" Jounouchi asked, keeping his voice low. "Do you have a wand or a staff or something, like Gandalf or Dumbledore?"

Mahaado looked at him, offended. "I told you, I am not a witch. I do not use a wand or a staff. I do not know Gandalf or Dumbledore, but I sure do pity them if they wield magic in this world." He opened his hands, palms up, and two large spheres appeared, illuminating the environment.

"Neat," Jounouchi mumbled. The light wasn't intrusive and it was soft yet strong enough to cast brightness all around. The spheres hovered in the air; one stayed at Mahaado's side and the second one floated towards Jounouchi, shining over his shoulder. The detective was sure it was only a matter of time before they would stumble upon the first dead body. He gritted his teeth. What had happened here? As if Mahaado was reading his mind, the magician said: "This is not Bakura's work. He hides in the shadows and emerges from them when necessary. Brutal violence is not his style."

"Well, it looks like they crashed this place with a tank," Jounouchi said. He entered the manor, ignoring the obvious destruction. He took a deep breath. A dark mass on the floor right in front of him - he recognized the outlines of a human body. Hurriedly, Mahaado went past Jounouchi and kneeled next to the body.

"There is nothing I can do for him," he said, voice numb. "Do you know him?" He rolled the corpse over. Jounouchi shook his head.

"It has to be one of Kaiba's new security guards. Someone took him down, effortlessly." Something else was bothering him. Why hadn't Kaiba's state-of-the-art electronic security system activated at the first sight of the intruders? Kaiba wouldn't have been so naïve as to connect his system to the regular electrical grid?

"I know who did this." Mahaado's voice was low, gravely. His illuminating sphere shone upon the dead man's chest, and Jounouchi didn't need to look twice to see the myriad of stab wounds.

"Marik," he said.

"He is out of control. If he truly was here, causing all this death and violence, that means that Malik has lost his hold over him."

"You mean those two are also a light-dark combination, like the two Bakuras and Yuugi and the Pharaoh?"

"I thought you had already figured that out." Mahaado straightened himself, shaking his head in sorrow at the unknown's man death. "Malik had difficulties holding him back ever since Marik came into existence. After obtaining a physical body, it was only a matter of time before Marik would totally break free. We have to fear for Malik's and Isis' life."

"As soon as we find Yuugi, we'll go to the National Museum," Jounouchi decided. "That's the only place I can think of, where she can be."

Mahaado nodded and straightened himself. He wanted to continue, but Jounouchi stopped him.

"This manor is _huge_ ," he said. "If we have to go through each and every room, it's going to take us at least a week. I'm not exaggerating."

Mahaado looked sternly. "I can perform a search for the presence of human energy," he said. "I have to concentrate, and it is going to take some time... but at least not a week."

"Please do whatever you need to do." Jounouchi let the man's comment slide. "I'm going to take a look around."

"Very well." Mahaado crossed his arms in front of his chest, closed his eyes and sunk in thoughts. Jounouchi let him be. It wasn't like he knew how magic worked anyway. He was worried about Yuugi and opened a few doors here and there. The illuminating sphere followed him, shining over his shoulder. Jounouchi saw nothing but broken furniture, slashed paintings and pottery in a million shards. Forget about the tank, it looked like a tornado had traveled through the manor! What had Marik hoped to attain by all this senseless destruction? Jounouchi was tempted to holler both Yuugi's and Kaiba's names, but he decided against it. Maybe if he could locate the guest room…

"Jounouchi," Mahaado's voice was right behind him and he almost jumped out of his skin.

"Fuck! Don't ever do that again!" Jounouchi reaffirmed his grip on his gun.

"My apologies," Mahaado said, slightly sheepish. "I found a presence on the first floor. Follow me."

"Only one?"

"Only one, unfortunately," the magician answered, implying that anyone else in the manor was dead. For a moment, Jounouchi feared that Kaiba was also dead, and despite everything, he wasn't that cruel to wish that upon anyone, not even the CEO. Mahaado set a firm pace and Jounouchi had to actually run to be able to keep up with him. The two illuminating spheres floated along with them nicely, so they wouldn't stumble or trip as they went up the stairs. Mahaado pointed at a door, smashed out of its hinges. On his command, the two spheres merged together into one, the light spreading across the room, completely in disarray. Jounouchi had his gun out, but quickly deduced it wasn't necessary. Mokuba was lying on his side on the bed, his night clothes torn to strips, his hands tied behind his back and his ankles tied together. His naked body showed scratches, bruises and deep cuts.

"Mokuba!" Jounouchi called out his name, but the other didn't react. He put his gun away and reached for his cell phone. He had Honda's number on speed dial and called it. This wasn't proper procedure: he should be calling captain Ushio, an ambulance and the forensic unit instead of his best friend - but this was _their_ case, and Honda deserved to know. He didn't answer his phone though, and Jounouchi terminated the call. Mahaado stepped over the broken furniture and approached Mokuba on the bed carefully. He untied him and dropped the shredded clothing to the floor. The boy didn't react. In the back of his mind, Jounouchi realized that Mahaado unwillingly -or unknowingly- was destroying evidence, the way the magician checked Mokuba all over, but the young man's life was more important now. Jounouchi asked: "Do you want me to call an ambulance?"

"No. I can heal his physical wounds," Mahaado said, "but his mind… I am afraid my powers are not sufficient to mend his mental suffering."

"Do whatever you can." Jounouchi looked around the room. Where was Yuugi? He'd been staying at the Kaiba Manor, but where exactly? If this was Mokuba's room… but Mahaado had said that he had found only one presence of human energy… what did that mean for Yuugi? His question answered itself. In the corner of the room, Jounouchi noticed a familiar brown bag in the corner. He didn't need to pick it up and examine it to recognize it. This was the same brown bag Yuugi had brought with him. Yuugi had stayed in this room!

"Yuugi," he spoke the name of his best friend, and he felt the sensation of a terrible loss. He wanted to throw up. Mahaado moved his hands over Mokuba, a soft purplish glow enveloping him. The bruises, cuts and scrapes disappeared in front of Jounouchi's eyes. He was impressed, but on the other hand, Mahaado had healed a stab wound from a Sennen Item before, so a bruise or a scrape would probably be peanuts to him.

"We should take him to the Pharaoh," Mahaado said. "He is in shock, we cannot leave him here. I…" He abruptly stopped talking. His eyes were glued to something on the floor, something amidst the rubble. His hands trembled. Jounouchi followed the direction Mahaado was looking into and he saw a notebook on the floor, half-hidden under the broken desk chair, the crumpled pages showing some kind of hieroglyphs. He reached for it and pulled the notebook from under the chair.

"What is this? Who wrote this?" Mahaado demanded to know. Jounouchi recognized the neatly drawn hieroglyphs, the schematics and layout of the nameless Pharaoh' tomb. Bile rose up in his throat at the memory of Yuugi showing him this particular notebook vividly entered his mind. Yuugi. Where was he?

"His grandfather," he finally answered, his voice also trembling. "Yuugi's grandfather." This couldn't be a coincidence. This was fate at work, wasn't it? "He went to Egypt in his younger years, as an archaeologist…"

"This is my Pharaoh's resting place," Mahaado said, not noticing he used 'my' instead of 'the', as he tapped on the notebook. "This is a holy place! What else did his grandfather write down? Has he written down his name?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The Pharaoh's name! Has he written it down?"

"I don't think so," Jounouchi said, frantically leafing through the notebook. He broke out in a sweat; the look in Mahaado's eyes was borderline crazy, something he had never seen before. He tried to remember what Yuugi had said about his grandfather's notes. "He was pretty upset that the name of the Pharaoh had been left out, and that it was a great… mishap? That only bad Pharaohs had their names crossed out, and that it was a sign of utter disrespect or something?"

He watched Mahaado carefully and was surprised to see the other heaving a sigh of relief.

"Then we are still safe," the magician said.

"Is your Pharaoh a bad Pharaoh?" Jounouchi couldn't help but ask.

Mahaado pursed his lips. "He is a wise man with strength beyond your belief," he said. "We cannot dawdle any longer. We have to go to the National Museum to find Isis."

"What about Yuugi? He was here! That's his bag!"

"It might be hard to believe, but he is safe for now. Bakura knows better than to kill the Pharaoh's light half."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Jounouchi said.

"I understand. He will be used as a bait, to lure the Pharaoh out of his safe, secured environment. Bakura has taken a great risk to get his hands on the Pharaoh's light. I am sure he has send Marik to do his dirty work, hence the destruction to the manor."

"I don't care! We have to find him!"

"Of course." Mahaado closed his eyes for a brief moment. "We have to find Isis first, though."

"Why? And what about Mokuba? We can't leave him here!"

"You asked me about flying," Mahaado said, with a devilish grin on his face that was so out of character that it almost scared Jounouchi. "So we will fly. Magus of Fantasy Illusion!"

Jounouchi should've known better by now, but he was still overwhelmed when magic was used. Bright light enveloped the room and gave birth to a humanoid creature that stared back at him as soon as it was spawned. Jounouchi's jaw went slack.

"What the hell is this!" he exclaimed, flabbergasted.

Mahaado snorted. "Please show some respect to my Kaa monster," he said. "Magus of Fantasy Illusion, obey my command!" The magus turned to Mahaado, carrying a staff indeed. Jounouchi was baffled and excited at the same time. "Now, focus on the National Museum, Jounouchi. Picture it clearly in your mind, so my Magus can take us there. Ready?"

"Ready," Jounouchi said and called up an image of the museum in his mind. The stairs leading to the entrance, the big, clunky building with the large window panes… and the next moment, his feet weren't standing on solid ground anymore. Tentatively, he opened his eyes and immediately cried out, not in fear, but in mind-blowing excitement. Domino City was under him, a night-lit city that looked pretty small from this height, and the wind blew through his unruly hair. His stomach went up and down, back and forth, but he couldn't help himself: he grinned like crazy and even spread his arms. He was flying! Next to him was Mahaado, much more controlled and calm, and above the two of them, the Magus of Fantasy Illusion, holding his staff alongside his body, the intricate tip pointing forward, as if it was indicating the direction. Far too soon, the building came into sight and they landed in front of the Museum. As soon as he hit solid ground again, Mahaado wavered and tripped over his own feet. Jounouchi was fast enough to catch him.

"Hey friend," he said, "take it easy. Are you all right?"

"It takes too much out of me," Mahaado mumbled. The Magus had disappeared. "I wish I was as strong as the Pharaoh, so I could summon a God to help me."

Even though he had just seen a summon first-hand, Jounouchi still couldn't believe that someone was capable of summoning a God. It wasn't important right now; they had other matters to attend to. The Magus had also transported Mokuba, the boy covered in bed linens, totally apathetic. "We have to find Isis fast and get back to the manor!"

"You go ahead," Mahaado said. "I need to catch my breath, and we cannot leave Mokuba behind."

"It's past business hours. I don't have the authority to go inside… if I do, I'll set the alarm off and then we'll be in trouble."

"Do not worry about the alarm," Mahaado said. "I detect a very faint presence inside the building. It has to be Isis, and she needs our help, Jounouchi. Please."

It was for the first time that he said 'please', and Jounouchi could see how exhausted the magician was. He took pity on him; despite everything, Jounouchi had started to regard him as a friend and he could see his frustration and fear, mirrored by his own.

"Stay here with Mokuba," he said. "I'll go and get Isis."

Mahaado nodded and sat down next to Mokuba. Jounouchi climbed up the stairs and just like at the Kaiba Manor, the entrance door was unhinged. He grunted. It had to be Marik's work, again. The crazed lunatic somehow had himself reined in; apart from the doors, nothing was destroyed or demolished. Jounouchi turned his head away at the sight of the body of the night guard. Such senseless killings, it made his stomach churn once more.

"Isis! Ishtar-san!" He called her name, startled by the loud echoing in the deserted museum. "Isis! If you can hear me, give me a sign!" Isis practically lived at the museum, and Mahaado had sensed a faint presence. Jounouchi agreed, it had to be Isis. But where could she be? The Ancient Egyptian exhibition, of course. Marik would've attacked her there, overwhelming her. If he had tortured her...! Jounouchi walked between the large displays. He didn't know his way around here, and it was a very large exhibition. Marik knew every nook and cranny, if he had stashed Isis somewhere in a far away corner… "Isis!" He cried out once more and stopped to listen. It was a chance of one in a million, but… he heard something. Very faint tapping. He heaved a sigh of relief. Now he only had to locate the source of the sound!

"Keep tapping, Isis!" he encouraged her, while he tried to determine where the sound was coming from. She had to be locked up in something, but he couldn't find anything large enough to store a human body in. The baskets on display were far too small and the glass hadn't been tampered with, and the other crates and boxes he saw, weren't large enough either to… and then it dawned to him. What was it that people found most fascinating about the rich Ancient Egyptian culture and traditions? The mummies. How they had enveloped their dead in intricate linens and buried them in graves with treasures and all necessities for their travel to the Afterlife. As it was, this exhibition had mummies on display as well! Jounouchi raced back to the entrance of the exhibition, only to find a number of sarcophagi. "Isis?" he all but roared. Yes, the tapping came from here, but it was getting weaker. Jounouchi cursed in frustration. Which one was it? He was running out of time! Well, he would apologize to the museum's director and curators later if necessary, there was a life at stake here! Without further ado, Jounouchi shoved the lids off of the sarcophagi, one by one. He kept calling out Isis' name, just to let her know he was still here. The tapping had stopped. His heart raced and thumped against his chest.

"Isis! Hold on!" The fourth sarcophagus was the right one. As soon as Jounouchi removed the heavy lid, Isis shot upright, tears in her eyes, gasping and wheezing for breath, her eyes darting back and forth, panic written across her face. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, clawing at him. Jounouchi returned the awkward 'hug'. "It's all right, I'm here, you're safe," he said.

"Marik… we have to stop him!" She coughed, her voice raspy and barely audible. "He's going to kill Malik!"

"Let's get you out of here first," he said.

"No, no, you have to stop him!"

"Do you know where he went to?" Jounouchi asked. She looked at him and shook her head.

"No! What have I done? I should have stopped him when I had the chance… I watched him murder Rishid, our beloved brother… I watched him take his body for his own! He is a nightmare... all his life, I tried to keep him calm, to keep him silent, if only for Malik's sake…"

"This isn't the moment to blame yourself," Jounouchi said. "Come, get out of this horrible thing. We have to leave."

"Where are we going to?" Ishizu asked. She tried to climb out of the sarcophagus, but her strength failed her. She'd been locked up in the sarcophagus for who knew how long; it was a miracle that Marik hadn't killed her right away. Maybe he had taken pity on her, or this was his weird idea of showing her mercy: instead of killing her outright, he left her in a sarcophagus to slowly suffocate to death. Yeah, that was right up his alley. Jounouchi lifted Isis out of the sarcophagus and gently helped her to her feet. She clung to him, and didn't comment on the mess he had made.

"We'll go to the Pharaoh," Jounouchi said. "We have to hurry. There's another victim, just like you, Isis. Come on!"

She hooked her arm through his elbow to keep herself upright. Her hair was a mess, the black strands stuck to her sweaty face, and her dress was torn left and right. Fortunately, she hadn't been stabbed; there was no blood visible on the dress. Together, they hurried out of the museum, back to where Mahaado was keeping watch over Mokuba. As soon as he saw Jounouchi and Isis, he straightened himself. Isis stumbled and had fallen to the ground if Jounouchi hadn't supported her. Breathing heavily, she almost dragged him down. She looked at Mahaado as if she was seeing a ghost, and Jounouchi didn't understand what was going on. The magician-priest inclined his head in a greeting. "Isis," he said. "We have to hurry."

"No, no," Isis sounded frazzled. "I cannot face him, Mahaado. I failed him. I failed my brother, I failed for so long…"

"Nonsense," he said, curtly but not unfriendly. "The Pharaoh will be happy to see you again. We really have to hurry, Isis."

"I own a car," she said. "You look tired, Mahaado. You performed a summon, did you not?"

"I had to," Mahaado said. "This youngster… his brother has been taken."

"Set." Ishizu heaved a sigh. "It is even worse than I thought."

"Your car?" Jounouchi insisted.

"Yes, of course." She pointed towards the parking lot. "It is right over there. This way, detective."


	15. Chapter 15

Much to Jounouchi's frustration, Isis was a very cautious driver. It seemed to take ages before they were in the right district of Domino City, and he couldn't resist a sigh of relief as soon as he saw the mansion in the distance. He was worried about the motionless Mokuba, staring silently in front of him. Isis parked the car and Mahaado got out quickly. The magician-priest frowned. The lights were on at the first floor of the mansion.

"He is not supposed to be up," Mahaado said irritably. "I told him to rest!" He hurried away, his worries on his Pharaoh only, leaving Jounouchi to carry Mokuba. Isis shivered violently, despite the fairly warm temperate at this late hour.

"Are you all right?" Jounouchi asked. After being threatened and locked up in a sarcophagus to die by her crazy brother, he doubted she was feeling 'all right' at all. She steeled herself, took a deep breath and nodded.

"We should go inside," she said, her voice steadfast yet downtrodden. "I cannot postpone the inevitable much longer. I have to face my punishment."

"Punishment? What punishment?" Jounouchi asked, dumbfounded. "What have you done wrong?"

"You will see. Do you need help carrying him?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine." Jounouchi had no difficulties lifting and carrying Mokuba; the youngest Kaiba wasn't a kid anymore, but he wasn't that heavy either. Jounouchi walked towards the mansion with his burden, and Isis came up last. As before, the warm, welcoming atmosphere inside made Jounouchi feel a lot better, like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Even Isis looked more at ease; she was taking in the Ancient Egyptian interior decoration, probably wondering if everything was authentic or not. Jounouchi found Mahaado leaning against the banister, supporting himself. He looked drained, wiped-out.

"Please go upstairs," he said. "Second room on the left."

"You should get some rest as well," Jounouchi said. He knew Mahaado was going to say 'no' before he could finish his sentence, so he went ahead and up the stairs. Isis accompanied him and opened the door for him, revealing a fairly large bedroom. She flipped the light switch and gentle, soft light washed all over the room. Jounouchi made his way over to the bed and carefully laid the apathetic Mokuba down. The linens Mahaado used to cover up the boy shifted with the movement, revealing his bare skin.

"Do you have something for him to wear?" Jounouchi asked as he rearranged the sheets around Mokuba. Over his shoulder, someone handed him a neatly folded garment and Jounouchi reached for it. Isis gasped loudly and dropped to her knees, on the floor. Jounouchi looked over his shoulder. "Pharaoh?"

"You have done well, Jounouchi," he said. "Sit down. You need your rest. Aishizu, stand up, please. You do not have to kneel for me."

"Forgive me, Pharaoh," Isis said. "I have failed you. Marik… I could not stop him!"

"I know. It was too much of a burden to bear, and it should not have been your, but my duty to carry it." The Pharaoh shook his head, sending his large golden earrings flying. Jounouchi noticed that he was in his full regalia: the traditional garb and long flowing cape, and lots and lots of gold. He wondered why the Pharaoh had decided to show himself like this right now. Probably because he knew Isis would come along? Mahaado had dragged himself upstairs and looked even worse for wear.

"Mahaado, sit down next to this young man."

"Great Pharaoh, no. I will be fine… I mean, I _am_ fine."

"Does my Priest wish to go against the orders of the Pharaoh?"

"No, no, Great Pharaoh." As a chastised little school kid, Mahaado traipsed over to the bed and sat down. The Pharaoh took his hand and both extended their other hand over Mokuba's body. The golden Puzzle started to glow, as well as the eye on the Pharaoh's crown. It was a warm and innocent, comforting glow and Jounouchi found himself staring into the light, drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Isis, while still on her knees, stared and gawked at the light as well. The golden glow stretched out all over Mokuba and the Pharaoh and Mahaado started chanting in Ancient Egyptian. It was hypnotic, transcendent, that warm light combined with the low, deep voices chanting in a monotonous rhythm… Jounouchi's eyes closed as all the tension and stress left him, his body sagging from pure relaxation… and then the serene moment was broken by Mokuba screaming his head off.

"Yuugi? Jounouchi? You're supposed to be dead! Dead!"

Mahaado winced at the loud volume. "It seems that the young man is back among the living again," he said, deadpan. "The shock is gone."

"Says you," Jounouchi said as Mokuba kept screaming about him being dead.

"I'm dead!" Mokuba yelled. "You're dead too, right Yuugi? Jounouchi, you're already dead! Is this heaven? Where's my brother? Is he dead too? He's dead, right? Right?"

"Wait a minute, Kaiba's dead?" Jounouchi couldn't believe it.

"Impossible," Mahaado said, but he looked at the Pharaoh. He shook his head.

"If Set were not amongst us anymore, I would have known. He is alive. However, I am afraid to think of what will happen to him."

"Pharaoh, you should rest. This has taken a great toll on you."

"Later," he said. "For now, we have old acquaintances to catch up with and this young man to take care of. I am sure he has a lot to tell us."

"You sure talk funny, Yuugi," Mokuba giggled nervously. "And you look pretty funny, too." Then he noticed he was naked, and that only a flimsy bed sheet was covering his nether regions. He pulled the garment out of Jounouchi's hands and put it on; it was an oversized shirt that covered him from head to toe.

Mahaado got up from the bed. "We will leave you for now," he said. "We will be at the salon." He extended his hand to Isis and she accepted his gesture, their hands entwining as he pulled her up. The Pharaoh was the first to leave the room and Jounouchi watched his retreating back, still in disbelief how this man could look so much like his best friend and be such a different person.

"I don't get it." Mokuba's voice was soft, hesitant. "You're dead, Jounouchi. Am I in heaven or in hell?"

"This is just Domino City, Mokuba. You're not dead, and neither am I. Who told you that? I'm all right!"

"Hirutani came over to the manor to tell us that you were killed in some kind of heist," Mokuba said. "He said something about it being his fault, as you didn't have enough undercover experience…"

"Hirutani told you that I was dead?" He was flabbergasted. Hirutani. He had been at the Kaiba Manor. He had seen Yuugi. He knew that Yuugi resembled the Pharaoh. Hirutani knew about Malik and Marik and their gang. _Hirutani_ had been the link to everyone all along, and he, Jounouchi, had been too caught up to see it! "Fuck," he said out loud. "Fuck!"

"What's going on? Are you really real, Jounouchi?" Mokuba asked, confused.

"Hirutani lied to you," he answered, gnashing his teeth. "I was injured, but these people… the same people you just saw, helped me recover."

"I don't understand... why is Yuugi here? I saw those goons lift him out of the bed!"

"What goons? What exactly happened? Wait a minute… why were you with Yuugi in one and the same bed in the first place?"

Mokuba turned red. "It wasn't like _that_! I went to his room because I was having terrible nightmares. We just had received the news that you were dead, and he was extremely upset. There was at least this much distance between us," Mokuba held his hands wide apart, "and nothing happened. We were too busy talking about our nightmares and sadness."

"All right, all right, I believe you," Jounouchi said, without being sarcastic or demeaning. "I'm sorry to give you this much trouble. I can't believe Hirutani went around telling that I'm dead!" Jounouchi pulled out his cell phone. Honda hadn't returned his phone call, which was weird. He was tempted to call either the station or Hirutani, but he decided against it. Let them think he was dead. This could probably work in his favor, bizarre and morbid as it was. Too bad he had to leave Honda and even his sister in the dark, but he would apologize to them profusely later. Jounouchi turned off his cell phone.

"But Yuugi…?"

"That's not Yuugi. I mean, he's not Yuugi. He's the Pharaoh. Don't ever address him until spoken to, unless you want to incur the wrath of god."

"Huh?"

"Mahaado. The other guy - tall, dark hair in ponytail? He's the Pharaoh's personal bodyguard. _Very_ personal. He'll fuck you over with his magic if you as much as look the wrong way."

"I don't think I understand… Yuugi is a Pharaoh?" Mokuba had a hard time processing the information. Suddenly, he gasped. "Wait! Yuugi's journal! The one his grandfather has written… where is it?"

"I saw Mahaado take it. Don't worry, it'll be treated with the utmost care. Maybe that journal is the reason why Yuugi plays such an important part in all of this."

"So that's why they took him." Mokuba heaved a defeated sigh. "I thought I was going to be kidnapped… again. They grabbed Yuugi, dragged him out of the bed… they didn't even bother knocking me out. They just laughed, Jounouchi. Laughed at our fear and terror, and when that guy cut me…" Mokuba touched his upper arm, and his eyes went wide as his fingers found healed skin. "I was cut right here! It hurt like a bitch!"

"Mahaado and the Pharaoh healed you, just like they healed me from my injuries. Don't ask - there's a lot of weird hocus pocus going on. All I know is that I would've bled to death without their help."

"So… they're on our side? Can they help us to find Yuugi and my brother?"

"I'm sure. You're safe here, Mokuba. Can you tell me anything about those guys who took Yuugi and your brother…? I assume they got Kaiba as well…"

"They have to," Mokuba said. "If they hadn't, my brother would've come to my rescue and killed anyone who dared to lay a finger upon me." He shifted his position. "Those guys… I don't know. I didn't recognize any of them. Generic faces, generic voices, clad in non-descript clothes… not one detail comes to mind, I'm sorry."

"You didn't see someone with long, whitish hair, did you?"

"No, not at all. They were all bulky buffoons."

"All right. Now, you should take it easy. Like I said, you're safe here. We're going to find and rescue our friends and loved ones."

"I'm coming along," Mokuba said.

"Oh no, you're not. I can't have a civilian running in my way."

"That's what your friend Hirutani said," Mokuba spat at him, "and look at how well that turned out! Besides, if they have taken my brother to KaibaCorp.'s HQ, you'll need me to gain access."

"Why would they take him to KaibaCorp.'s HQ?"

"Why not?"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation and Mahaado walked in. Mokuba all but 'eeped' and hid under the sheets. Jounouchi was used to the stoic bodyguard by now and wasn't surprised to see him holding a tray with the inevitable cup of tea.

"I brought you something to drink, Mokuba," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "Please drink it, if only for you to calm down." The covered up head bobbed, slightly trembling. Mahaado looked at Jounouchi.

"The Pharaoh wishes to talk to you," he said. "We need to act quickly."

"Please save my brother!" Mokuba pleaded from under the sheets. Mahaado's eyes showed compassion.

"Set is safe for the moment," he said. "It is Yuugi we are worried about. The Pharaoh's light half is in serious danger."

"Please save Yuugi too," Mokuba said.

* * *

The salon was the large room where Jounouchi had met the Pharaoh for the first time and he found him sitting in the high back chair, in front of the large open fire place, the black notebook in his lap. Mahaado flanked him on the left side, his posture straight and rigid again. Isis stood next to his right side and looked completely in her element in the Ancient Egyptian environment, wearing her traditional garb and the necklace she had given to Jounouchi not long ago.

"It is hers," the Pharaoh said as he noticed Jounouchi's bewildered look. "The Sennen Items belong to their original owners. She took a great risk to keep it hidden from Marik, but now it is back where it belongs."

"Thank you, Pharaoh," Isis said and closed her eyes, if only for the briefest moments.

"The Sennen Tauk grants its wielder visions of the future," the Pharaoh continued as Jounouchi settled into a chair, while Mahaado and Isis remained standing. The way these two flanked the Pharaoh, reminded Jounouchi of a court of Priests - stern, devoted, loyal. "These visions are not clear, unfortunately. The images Aishizu received and interpreted, bode bad news for my light half."

"His name is Yuugi, and he's not _yours_ ," Jounouchi blurted out. He could almost taste the embarrassment coming from Mahaado, embarrassment and anger for talking back to the Pharaoh like that, and Jounouchi immediately raised his hand. "I know what you're going to say, Mahaado, but now it's not the time. Yuugi is my friend, and I want to see him safe."

"I know you want to." The Pharaoh tilted his head a little. "I want him safe as well, if only for the survival of the world. It is clear to me that the thief is behind all of this. We have to find him, and fast."

Despite Mokuba not having seen Bakura, Jounouchi agreed with the Pharaoh. It was definitely safe to assume the thief had taken Yuugi, sending lackeys instead of doing the dirty work himself. "What about his headquarters? Does he have an evil lair of some kind?"

"An evil lair? If only we knew where he hides out…"

"How about Zorc Security?" Jounouchi suggested. "Bakura isn't going to hold someone hostage in his own apartment, you know? He needs room to move. If he has Yuugi and Kaiba, and Marik and his goons helping him out, he needs to have _a lot of_ room. We have to check out the main office of Zorc Security, that's the most plausible place where he could be." Jounouchi tilted his head, mimicking the Pharaoh. "Do we have wifi in this place? Wireless Internet?"

The Pharaoh looked at Mahaado with a confused look on his face. "Wifi?"

"I should've known," Jounouchi grunted. "If you're all three thousand years old…"

"I am not," Isis protested. "I know more of this modern world, Jounouchi. My apologies, Pharaoh, I do not want to overstep my boundaries…" As he waved with his hand to show that he didn't mind, she continued: "There is no wifi here, Jounouchi, but I know the address. The National Museum hired the same company to provide the alarm system, cameras and other security details to protect the building and the exhibits. I was drawn to the name and did a little bit of research, but I was not able to discover much."

She named the address. Jounouchi recognized the street; it was going to take at least fifteen minutes by car to get to that specific district.

"I'm on my way," he said and got up from his chair. Mahaado immediately stepped up as well, only to pull a horrified face when the Pharaoh stood up.

"Great Pharaoh! What are you doing?"

"I am coming along," he said, as a matter-of-factly.

"I will take care of this, together with Jounouchi," Mahaado said, agitated. Jounouchi could hear the plea in his voice, but the Pharaoh ignored him.

"Bring me to the place you mentioned," he said to Isis.

"I'll drive," Jounouchi interfered. "Someone should stay with Mokuba. He's scared and confused, and I don't blame him."

"I will take care of him," Isis offered. "Here are the car keys." She produced them from the folds of her robe. Jounouchi took the keys from her and wanted to leave, but she grabbed him at the elbow. The Pharaoh and Mahaado walked straight past him. Jounouchi was annoyed that Isis held him back, probably to give way to the other two; he should know by now that the Pharaoh would always walk first. Isis waited until they had left the room, before she spoke.

"Please, Jounouchi," she said. "If you see my brother… save him. He is innocent in this."

"I take it you're talking about Malik?" he asked, just to be sure.

"The Tomb Keepers are ready to atone for their sins and vow to protect once more, just like I told you. But Marik is not a Tomb Keeper, he is a murderer. But, Jounouchi… if you... have to…" She took a deep breath. "Marik has known nothing but pain and anger. If it is his time, make it quick and painless. Please. Please."

Jounouchi wasn't really sure if he understood, but he nodded. "I'll do whatever I can, Isis," he said and gently pulled himself lose. "I have to go."

She tried to smile, but the silent tears running down her face tugged at his heartstrings. He made a beeline for the door, where he was confronted by Mahaado with his arm draped around the Pharaoh's shoulders, the tall man holding him close. Jounouchi rattled with the car keys to announce himself and spare them the embarrassment; indeed, Mahaado took his arm away and looked over his shoulder, his usual frown firmly in place.

"Are you finally there?"

"Yes, I'll be your chauffeur for tonight," he said sarcastically. "Bunch of tourists."

* * *

Zorc Security was located in an industry district, and the building was well-lit, with large industrial lights illuminating the company's logo mounted on the wall.

"Hiding in the shadows, huh?" Jounouchi commented. It was actually quite funny to have a millennia old Pharaoh riding shot gun with you, while his fiercely protective (and grumpy) bodyguard sat in the back. The Pharaoh had even worn his seatbelt, especially after Mahaado learned it was a protective measure.

"The thief is toying with us," he said. "He invites us, while he cowers in his beloved darkness. He is playing a game." Strangely enough, the Pharaoh sounded intrigued.

"I hope both Yuugi and Kaiba are here," Jounouchi muttered. He shut down the engine and got out of the car. He pulled out his gun and checked it. The magazine was still full and he had a few extra clips, but what could a gun do compared to magic? This so-called 'dark' Bakura had strange powers; Jounouchi hadn't forgotten that creepy encounter when Bakura had thrown a heavy table against his chest without as much as breaking a sweat. His eyes traveled over to the Puzzle, resting against the Pharaoh's chest. Strange that this Item omitted calmness, confidence and faith instead of pain, darkness and violence like Marik's Rod and Bakura's Ring.

"Mahaado, can you do that trick to find human energy again?" he asked. The magician looked offended at it being called a 'trick', but he complied nonetheless. Jounouchi went ahead and approached the main door of the building. Just as he was contemplating how to enter without setting the alarm off - a company specializing in security would undoubtedly have its own headquarters protected to the extreme - he noticed the Pharaoh behind him.

"Sheesh, Pharaoh! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Jounouchi looked at the other, with all his gold and the dark purple cape fanning out behind him. "And could you dress at least a little less conspicuously?"

"This is how I dress," the Pharaoh said, unfazed.

"Yes, for your… crowning ceremony or whatever. Not for when you go rescue some guys!"

"We should go inside," the Pharaoh suggested. He waited for Jounouchi to open the door, as if he was making a home visit.

"We just can't barge in," Jounouchi said, rolling his eyes. "We don't know what's waiting for us. This is a security company; we'll probably set off an entire array of alarms just by touching the door. And, if Bakura and Marik are inside, I'm sure they're not waiting on us with tea and biscuits."

The Pharaoh looked at the door. "We will enter," he said and he was about to step forward, when Mahaado caught up with them.

"Great Pharaoh, Jounouchi," he said. "I sense human energy on the first and second floor, but there's something… off about them."

"Something off?" Jounouchi asked.

"I can sense the influence of darkness," the magician answered. "Bakura has manipulated or corrupted their souls. His Item is powerful enough to do so. These people probably don't know what they're doing, as they're being controlled by the darkness itself."

"Great." Jounouchi sorely missed the back-up Honda would provide him. Their team was the best, and not without reason. He could trust the other blindly and vice-versa; no matter how powerful the Pharaoh or Mahaado were, they had no idea what a tag-team was, or how to avoid obvious traps. By even looking at the Pharaoh, Jounouchi could see that the other expected him to open the door and show him proper respect as a Pharaoh, without as much as contemplating the dangers that could await him past that very door. He didn't know whether to shoot himself right now or just point and laugh. He pulled himself together. Yuugi had to be inside. He was here to rescue his friend.

"Can you sense Yuugi?"

Mahaado shook his head. "I am only able to sense energy, not whose energy it is."

"All right." It was a bit of a disappointment, but Jounouchi had worked with less. It was time to take action. Next to the door was an electronic panel, demanding an access code. In his younger years, while belonging to a gang, Jounouchi had cracked more of these codes than he could count. His old skills came in handy as he disabled the control panel. It was a rather old-fashioned model, and it fueled his suspicion. This was too easy, but he didn't have much of a choice. He couldn't explain Mahaado's and the Pharaoh's existence to the police. He couldn't contact Honda, there was too little time. With a clicking noise, the door was unlocked. Jounouchi pushed at the door and held it open. "Please enter, Your Majesty," he said sarcastically.

"It is 'Great Pharaoh', Jounouchi," Mahaado corrected him.

"Just get the fuck in."


	16. Chapter 16

On his right was the reception area: a tall desk with a computer, a telephone switchboard and general office stationary, a perfect ordinary workplace for a secretary or receptionist. Jounouchi took his gun out of its holster. He didn't know what to expect here, in the lion's den; was it truly a trap, or just a cover? It was a small consolation that he wasn't alone; Mahaado was with him, and he had seen the magician in action. The seating area on his left was furnished with chairs, two sofas and a coffee table with a couple of general-interest magazines on it. A coffee corner made the area complete. The Pharaoh walked around with almost child-like curiosity, as if he had never seen an office building from the inside before. Considering that, Jounouchi thought, he more than probably hadn't. He didn't know whether to feel sorry or sad for the Pharaoh, standing out like a sore thumb in his traditional garb; all his gold and glitter, juxtaposed to the plastic, electronics and concrete of the building. Their footsteps made no noise on the squeaky clean, tiled floor. Jounouchi continued to scout the area. The tall Zorc Security sign behind the reception area was buzzing faintly. He couldn't tell if a silent alarm had been tripped. With the exception of the computer at the reception desk, he didn't see any electronic equipment. Well, as long as he didn't hear any blaring police sirens… a shiver went down his spine. Moving on, he noticed the staircase down the hall.

"How do we get up?" The Pharaoh asked, not using his indoor voice.

"Over here," Jounouchi said, cringing at the noise. "You'll have to walk a few steps, Pharaoh."

"That is fine." He closed the distance between himself and Jounouchi, followed by Mahaado. It was… oddly satisfying that they were willing to, sort of, 'obey' him; Jounouchi had expected the Pharaoh to demand to be carried upstairs, his dainty feet not made to touch something as pedestrian as stairs. He remembered that there was a staircase at the mansion, and felt a bit guilty about his earlier thought. The Pharaoh might not be of this world, he wasn't acting superior or above anyone else. Jounouchi took the lead, the Pharaoh in the middle and Mahaado came up at the rear, climbing up to the first floor.

"Careful," Mahaado suddenly said. "I sense a shift in the nature of the energy. Our presence has been noticed! Jounouchi, watch out! Pharaoh, get behind me, quick!"

Jounouchi raised his gun. "Domino City Police Force!" he announced himself. "Who's there?"

The sound of approaching footsteps was eerie. "Domino City Police Force! Stop!"

The very weak ceiling light revealed a tall young man with short, reddish hair. Jounouchi's eyes went wide.

"Amelda? What are _you_ doing here?"

He didn't answer. More people came to stand close to him: Varon, Rafael, even Kemo, Pegasus' former bodyguard, along with others Jounouchi didn't recognize.

"You shouldn't be here," he said. "Get out of here while you still can!"

"It is of no use, Jounouchi." Mahaado grimaced. "They are under the influence of a very dark spell. I can barely sense their soul under all those layers of darkness. Hatred, anger, despair, envy, disdain…they are filled to the brim with it."

"Bastard," Jounouchi growled. What was Bakura doing? What did he hope to achieve by all of this?

"Enslaving people's minds is not Bakura's method," Mahaado said pensively. "Usually, Marik would…"

Amelda stepped forward. Jounouchi pointed his gun at him. "Don't come any closer!"

Out of nothing, a laser beam swiped at Jounouchi's gun, cutting the weapon clean in half. "What the hell?" He stared at the pitiful remnant of his gun. Amelda's blank, unresponsive look didn't change and he took another step closer. Jounouchi threw the gun at him - but it never landed on him. More laser beams made short work of the gun and it ended in tiny pieces on the floor. _This is Kaiba's system!_ Jounouchi remembered how he had been subdued himself by the very same system, back when he had jumped at the CEO in his office. How the hell did Bakura dispose over this kind of technology? Had he forced Kaiba to give the technology to him? Jounouchi braced himself. The group approached him, with Amelda and Rafael in the front. The tall, muscular guy grunted when an orb of light hit him right in the chest. It wasn't an act of violence; Rafael stared dumbfounded at the orb hovering around his heart area. The light emitted by the orb was calm and warm, opposite the restless darkness inside the other's body, mind and soul. Mahaado conjured another orb of light, this time targeting Amelda.

Jounouchi understood what the magician-priest was doing. "Amelda, Rafael," he said, "don't let the darkness consume you! This isn't who you are! Fight it! Fight the darkness!"

"Think of your friends and loved ones," Mahaado called out. "Repel it! Turn the darkness away!" He guided more of the glowing orbs towards the other people, men and women, appealing to whatever light there was left in their hearts. Even the Pharaoh stepped up to the plate; his Puzzle glowed with the same warm and comforting light Jounouchi had seen when he had healed Mokuba from his shock and trauma.

"You can do it!" Jounouchi encouraged them. "Amelda! Varon! Rafael! Fight it off!" He was excited to see a change in Amelda's eyes. He blinked for the first time and his confusion was obvious. He even parted his lips, as if he was about to talk. Jounouchi was ready to answer any questions he had, relief surging through him. Everything started to turn into their favor - and then there was a strangling, gurgling gasp behind them. Jounouchi whipped his head around as did Mahaado. The magician-priest cried out for his Pharaoh as Jounouchi looked on in horror. Some kind of robotic device had attached itself to the Pharaoh, all but strangling him. The light from the Puzzle flickered and died down. Mahaado grabbed the arms of the robot, trying to bend them away from the Pharaoh. He was so upset and angry that he started to swear in Ancient Egyptian. Apparently, his magic wasn't effective against modern technology. Jounouchi rushed to help him. The Pharaoh almost went through his knees, as one of the robotic arms snaked around his throat, crushing his windpipe and damaging the golden choker.

"Let go of him!" Jounouchi pulled at the metal arms. Robots, right here? What the hell was going on? He put all of his strength into it, tugging and pulling, next to a frantic Mahaado. The Pharaoh fell to the floor, gasping and wheezing. Something latched onto Jounouchi's arm and he looked over his shoulder to see what it was - it wasn't another robot, but Varon. His fist went at such speed at Jounouchi's jaw that he had no time to brace himself, let alone put up a defense. He saw stars when the pain hit him full-force, and his entire world went black.

* * *

"….Jounouchi-daimyo, wake up!" Jounouchi grunted at hearing the familiar voice. He felt like he'd been run over by a truck, and he sure could use some of Mahaado's fine healing.

"You told me you stabbed him!" The other familiar voice immediately infuriated him and he opened his eyes, angry.

"Hirutani, you fucking bastard!"

Hirutani looked at him with such cold eyes that it made his blood chill. He just stood there, disdain radiating off of him. "You're a fucking cockroach, Jounouchi. I couldn't get rid of you back in the days, and I can't get rid of you now." He turned to Marik. "Why isn't he dead?"

"I told you I stabbed him," Marik said, voice amused. "I also told you that pretty Pharaoh and his annoying Priest got to him before I could stab him for the second time. Didn't you hear me when I was talking to you, Hirutani- _chan_?"

The other turned red in the face. Jounouchi would've laughed at him, if he wasn't so worried about himself and the others. His hands were tied behind his back and when he craned his neck to look at the others, he could see Mahaado and the Pharaoh, leaning against him. Mahaado's furious eyes promised death to anyone who dared to approach him, the Pharaoh looked unconscious, with his eyes closed. The golden choker around his neck was damaged from the force the robotic device had used to crush it, his skin underneath already turning an angry black and blue.

"What are you calling me, you psycho freak?" Hirutani protested, but he immediately went silent when another voice called out to him.

"Do _not_ call my associate any name, Hirutani." The hairs on the back of Jounouchi's neck stood upright. He knew exactly who was talking. "Or do you wish to join the darkness like a mindless drone, a slave?"

"No, Bakura-sama." Hirutani stepped away from Marik and made a deep, respectful bow to the person approaching them. The last player on the field. Jounouchi scrunched up his face in disgust at Hirutani's groveling. Bakura looked exactly the same as when he had thrown the heavy table through the interrogation room as if it weighed nothing, pinning Jounouchi to the floor and crushing him. Fear traveled through Jounouchi, at just the memory of that particular event. He had seen and been through a lot with Honda; as detectives they had encountered dead bodies, bloody crime scenes and cruel, lying and backstabbing suspects. Marik Ishtar was one of the worst, with his total lack of morals and the crazy, deranged state his mind was in. But the worst had to be this so-called 'Dark' Bakura, and Jounouchi couldn't meet his gaze. Kind and polite Bakura Ryou had completely vanished from this… person, standing in the middle of wherever they were - Jounouchi wasn't totally aware of his surroundings yet, safe for it being a large room with modest light - and smiling down at him with such a malicious, contemptuous arrogance and hatred that Jounouchi's stomach wasn't tying itself into knots, but trying to eat itself in fear. Jounouchi's body wasn't frozen, but he knew he couldn't get up unless he was helped onto his feet. This Dark Bakura had rooted him to the spot with the malice and darkness he was emanating, and in the middle of his chest hung that infernal, hatefully glowing Ring, the prongs dangling, chiming creepily with every movement.

"I knew you would bring them to me, Jounouchi," he said, his voice devoid of any compassion or empathy. "It took a bit longer than I expected, but I am a patient man. Time is on my hands. It has always been, for millennia long."

He took a step forward as if he wanted to check up on the Pharaoh, who had regained consciousness. Mahaado wrestled himself in front of him, spitting at Bakura.

"Do not dare touching him!"

"I wouldn't," Bakura said disdainfully. "Not yet. He's not worth my attention."

"Do not be a fool, thief." The Pharaoh's voice was hoarse and raspy. "Stop this right now, and I will grant you access to the afterlife without your soul being devoured."

Bakura snorted so hard that he could give Kaiba a run for his money, if the CEO was around. "Do you really think I care for what you can grant me? Do you think that I care for the afterlife, or wherever my soul goes to?" He cackled. He moved up his hand and Hirutani appeared again, and this time he had brought someone with him.

"Yuugi!" Jounouchi cried out. His friend didn't respond. Hirutani threw Yuugi casually to the floor. Neither the Pharaoh nor Mahaado made a sound, both looking shocked.

"Yuugi!" Jounouchi tried to get up, but his body refused to obey him. Frustrated, he glared at Bakura. Marik had walked over to him and stood next to him as if they were the best of friends. "What have you done to him?"

"You've always asked too many questions, Jounouchi. Tonight, it's going to end. All of you are going to end."

"Bakura, stop this insanity!" The Pharaoh had managed to get up and still maintain some kind of dignity, despite his hitching voice. "You will not achieve anything by killing us!"

"Not achieve anything?" Bakura narrowed his eyes. "Except for removing all of you from my life? I have waited long enough!"

"You cannot use the Sennen Items without their owners," the Pharaoh spat.

"Pharaoh, do not bother arguing with him," Mahaado spoke. "The thief will never change his mind, misled and deluded as he is."

"Deluded?" Bakura yelled, and the prongs of his Ring stood up straight, pointing at the magician. "I killed you once, priest. I'll kill you again!"

"Enough!" Jounouchi hollered. "Stop this, Bakura! I won't allow you to plunge the world into total darkness!"

"You won't allow me to?" Bakura grinned. "What exactly are you going to do to stop me?"

"You are talking nonsense," Mahaado spoke up again. "You do not have all the Items, let alone the Eight Key, to resurrect your beloved God. You do not hold all the cards, thief!"

Jounouchi struggled against his bonds. His eyes traveled all over Yuugi, lying lifelessly on the floor. He couldn't determine if he was breathing or not. Had he already been killed? He couldn't see any blood… and if Bakura had put that dark spell on him, or mind-slaved him, like Amelda and Varon… to his relief, Jounouchi saw a slight twitch. Yuugi moved his arms.

"They really don't like you, pretty thief," Marik snickered. "Why don't we stop talking and start killing them?"

"Let me do it, Bakura-sama!" Hirutani pulled out his gun, eager to shoot. He pointed at Jounouchi.

"We won't stain our hands," Bakura said and the Ring chimed ominously. "We're done talking." He turned to say something to both Hirutani and Marik. On the cold floor, Yuugi shifted and managed to get on his knees. Disorientated, he tried to determine where he was, and who was with him… he noticed Jounouchi and smiled at him. All of the sudden his eyes went wide and his lips widened in a massive smile. Jounouchi looked in the same direction as Yuugi and saw that he was looking at the Pharaoh. How weird could it be to see someone looking exactly like you? From the Pharaoh's reaction, his eyes widening as well and gasping, Jounouchi could gather that he was just as surprised.

" _Mou hitori no boku,_ " Yuugi said, at the same moment when the Pharaoh sighed: " _Aibou_."

"What?" Jounouchi arched an eyebrow. Something was flying right over his head, he was sure of it.

"We have to get out of here!" Mahaado tried to get up, twisting and turning, as his arms were also tied behind his back.

"So soon already?" Bakura pulled something out of his pants pocket. It looked like a cell phone, or a small tablet, and he moved his fingers over the screen with ease. Jounouchi cringed. If Bakura had better understanding about today's technology than the Pharaoh and his Priest, that could be a real disadvantage. Another robotic arm dropped from the ceiling, and as Yuugi was making his way over, it attached itself to his leg and forcefully dragged him over the floor.

"Jounouchi-kun!" He yelled out in pain as he was hoisted upside-down in the air.

"Monster! He's innocent! Let him go!" Jounouchi wiggled his body into an upright position, cursing the lack of the use of his arms. Those damn restraints!

Bakura cackled. "Innocent? Watch, Pharaoh, while I crush your light half, crippling you and your power!"

"Bakura," the Pharaoh's voice was soft, but held no gentleness or kindness. "I challenge you to a Shadow Game!"

"No! No, no, no!" Mahaado's panic was so great that it gave him a boost of strength to get up and all but race past Jounouchi to stand next to the Pharaoh. "Pharaoh, please! Do not do this!"

"I have to," the Pharaoh said, the stylized eye on his crown and his Puzzle glowing. "I have to protect my light."

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi cried out, flailing his arms and kicking his legs in vain. Marik was watching him, licking his lips, reveling in Yuugi's anguish.

"Hold on!" Jounouchi cursed exasperatedly. With Mahaado in front of him, he could finally see what was tying their arms together behind their backs: another robotic device, its arms looped around their underarms and wrists, with an electronic lock to secure the whole damn thing. "Mahaado! Can't you do something about these robots?"

"My magic does not work against modern contraptions," Mahaado answered, confirming Jounouchi's earlier thoughts. "I need to have my hands free to summon my Magus. I…" His voice trailed off as their surroundings rapidly darkened.

"What's the matter? What's going on?" Jounouchi stepped aside as dark, purplish clouds filled up the area. No, not clouds… _shadows._ He gasped. "What's with him?"

The Pharaoh was in a trance-like state, his eyes glowing gold along with the Puzzle and the eye on his crown. "What's he doing?"

"In order to save his light half… your friend, he has challenged Bakura to a Shadow Game. The rules have been set, we are not to interfere. He is Summoning."

Jounouchi could hear the defeatism in Mahaado's voice and he didn't like it at all. It struck him what Mahaado had said a while ago about the Pharaoh and summoning. _He summons Gods._ He had to get the fuck away!

Bakura's laugh cut through the darkened room. "You're too weak, Pharaoh! Weak, just like you were unable to stop me from robbing your dear father's grave!"

"You will answer for your crimes, King of Thieves!" Despite being bound and restrained, the Pharaoh was strong enough to stand upright, carrying his presence with full regality and authority. "Let him go. I will give you one more chance, before I start the Game and surrender you to the judgment of the Gods!"

"You're always so eager to call your fucking Gods!" Bakura answered crudely. In a split second, he looked at Marik. "Take out your Sennen Rod and kill him!"

"Yes, yes," Marik answered eagerly, but he didn't act upon it with great haste. He was probably trying to decide on which 'him' Bakura had referred to: the Pharaoh all but open in front of him, or Yuugi dangling helplessly in the air. He took the Item from his belt and uncapped the end, revealing the dagger slowly. Its razor sharp end picked up the last remaining light, flickering briefly.

"Marik! Hurry up!" Bakura's voice was filled with anger and frustration, but Marik either didn't hear him or didn't want to listen. He was dividing his attention between the Pharaoh and Yuugi, clearly considering profoundly which one he would kill first. Neither one of them would put up much of a fight. Mahaado stood next to the Pharaoh, and Jounouchi struggled to get to Yuugi. He was going to defend his friend, no matter what! Marik stood still while Bakura yelled at him to hurry up, undisturbed by the rapidly increasing shadows and a menacing, disembodied growling sound. Something was approaching fast… could this be the God the Pharaoh was summoning? Marik showed a diabolical grin; he had taken his decision. Holding up the Rod high, he turned towards Yuugi, caught in the mechanical arm, unable to move or to defend himself.

"Yuugi!" Jounouchi screamed. The shadows pulled at his legs, hindering his movements. "No!" The fear in Yuugi's eyes broke Jounouchi's heart - he was never going to make it in time, he wasn't going to be able to save his friend! Marik raised the Rod even further, grinning like a loon as he approached the frantically flailing Yuugi.

The shadows abruptly changed direction. A loud howling accompanied them as they rolled towards Marik, like a massive fist about to punch him. In a quick reflex, he braced himself by bringing up both his arms, but at the very last moment the shadows changed direction again, this time targeting Bakura. It was a matter of milliseconds, but Bakura didn't show any emotion; no fear, no surprise, no annoyance. The Ring on his chest glowed, the prongs rattling like crazy.

"You want to fight me? The one who _is_ the Shadows? Pathetic!" He made a gesture with his arm while still holding the cell phone. Once the device was visible, the shadows launched towards it, knocking it out of Bakura's hand. This time, he did show emotion: he was flabbergasted. The cell phone landed with a crash on the floor, smashing apart in bazillion small pieces.

"What!" The thief roared. Jounouchi only needed a second to comprehend: the cell phone controlled the program for the robotic restraints, and now that it was destroyed… smirking, he shook off the mechanical bonds, rendered useless. This was the chance he'd been waiting for! Ignoring the muscle pain in his arms, after being forced into an unnatural position for so long, Jounouchi stormed towards Marik. Ever since meeting him, he wanted to punch him in the face - Jounouchi swung his fist, only to be rewarded with a huge sense of satisfaction when it connected. Marik even dropped the Rod as he staggered backwards, and Jounouchi immediately dove for it. He didn't make it; Hirutani jumped on his back, taking him into a headlock. They rolled over the floor, legs kicking.

"Let go of me, you fucking asshole!"

Hirutani breathed heavily. "You're not going to win, Jounouchi," he snarled. "The darkness is too great. Either die or be destroyed - the choice is yours!"

"Fuck… you!" Jounouchi gurgled as he tried to pry himself free. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar appearance. The Magus of Fantasy Illusion pointed his staff at Hirutani. "You're the one who's going to die!" With a last outburst of strength, Jounouchi broke free from Hirutani's stranglehold and rolled out of the way. Hirutani never had any chance to realize what was going on; the blast that followed made short work of his corrupted, miserable life.

"Jounouchi-kun!" That was Yuugi's voice. Jounouchi saw him lying on the floor, the robotic arm still attached to his leg, but not functioning anymore. He quickly made his way over to him, grabbing him at the shoulders.

"Are you okay?"

Yuugi nodded and cringed. Every movement seemed to hurt him. "What happened?"

"We'll talk about it later," Jounouchi said. "We have to get out of here. Can you walk?"

"I…" Yuugi was interrupted by Mahaado calling loudly for Jounouchi. He helped Yuugi to his feet and when he saw his friend had difficulties walking, he simply picked him up and ran over to the magician, cradling the Pharaoh in his arms.

"Help me," Mahaado said, "he is barely breathing!"

"What about your healing magic?"

"I depleted myself by summoning my Magus," Mahaado shook his head. "I am not strong in the healing arts. I would require the Pharaoh's help…"

"I'll call an ambulance." Jounouchi pulled out his phone. No reception. This wasn't his lucky day.

"No, no hospitals!" Mahaado tugged at his elbow. "We have to take him to the mansion. He is at the limit of his strength. What… what are _you_ doing?" He was addressing Yuugi, who looked in enraptured fascination at the Pharaoh. Gently, Yuugi leaned into him and took his hand. Almost immediately, the Pharaoh responded with a loud gasp, his breathing stronger and more even, though he didn't regain consciousness. Mahaado was shocked. "What… what did you just do?"

"I don't know," Yuugi said, sheepishly. "I just thought that…it would help if I took his hand."

"You are not allowed to touch the Great Pharaoh like that." Mahaado folded his arms protectively around the Pharaoh. "We have to leave, right now."

"Where did everybody go?" Jounouchi asked. He didn't see Bakura or Marik anywhere, and apart from Hirutani, there were no bodies on the floor. Jounouchi wasn't sure he was going to mourn him. Apparently, Hirutani had never left his criminal past behind him, a violent past where he would terrorize and extort people as leader of an intimidating gang. He didn't have a wife or children; he was a loner who had chosen to work for the dark side all along. Jounouchi had regarded him as a friend, but this put everything into a different perspective. No, he wasn't going to shed tears over him. He turned his head around. "Let's just get the fuck out of here."

"What about Malik-kun and Kaiba-kun?" Yuugi asked.

"Have you seen them? Where are they?"

"Malik-kun was with me all the time," Yuugi said. "He was desperate, and he kept telling me everything was his fault and that he was responsible for creating Marik. I didn't understand him all too well. I couldn't reach him. Kaiba-kun… I saw him when we were taken from the manor, but when I woke up, I was with Malik. I don't know where they took Kaiba-kun to."

"You'll have to answer a lot of questions," Jounouchi said, "but first we'll look for Malik and get him out of here as well."

"Do not waste your time, Jounouchi," Mahaado spoke up. "He is not here."

"How do you know? Is he dead?"

"I do not sense any energy," Mahaado said. "Malik is tied to Marik and his Sennen Item. I would recognize that kind of energy anywhere. It is not here. He is not here. Please. We have to return to the mansion, _now_."


	17. Chapter 17

Jounouchi didn't recall how they made it back to the mansion. He vaguely remembered that he drove Ishizu's car and that Yuugi rode shotgun, with the Pharaoh and Mahaado in the backseat. How they got inside the mansion however… he drew a blank on that. It didn't matter. After everything that had happened, the mansion offered a safe and warm welcome. The lights were dimmed but emitted a comfortable, pleasant glow; it felt like reveling in a heavenly, hot bath, especially after all that darkness. Mahaado immediately disappeared to the room upstairs, carrying the barely conscious Pharaoh in his arms. After exchanging a worried look, Ishizu followed him. Jounouchi and Yuugi went into the kitchen, only to find Mokuba there, eating a large slice of honey cake. He dropped the food as soon as he saw Yuugi and almost tripped over his own feet in his haste to fling himself into his arms. Yuugi was happy to return the hug, glad to see the younger Kaiba brother alive and well. He grimaced in pain as Mokuba's grip became too tight and he muttered 'ow ow ow' under his breath.

"What's the matter?" Jounouchi asked worriedly. "Are you injured?"

"I'm fine, just a little sore," Yuugi said, rubbing his lower back. "I hit the floor rather hard when that robot-thing, or whatever it was, dropped me. What happened, Jounouchi-kun?"

"I'll ask Mahaado to heal you," Jounouchi said, avoiding the question. He didn't know what to answer anyway. Nothing made sense to him anymore.

"Maybe Ishizu-san can give you some of her tea," Mokuba suggested. "After I drank it, I slept for hours and when I woke up, I felt more energized than ever! I helped her to make food for when you guys would return. We figured you'd all be out of energy and hungry!"

"Well, to be truthful…" Yuugi looked sheepish. "I haven't eaten at all since I was… kidnapped. No one offered me any food or drink."

"I'll get you stuff to eat!" Mokuba broke up the hug and ran around the kitchen, pulling out dishes and bowls from everywhere. "Have you seen my brother? How is he?"

"I haven't seen Kaiba-kun after we got separated," Yuugi said. "I'm so sorry, Mokuba-kun."

"It's not your fault, Yuugi." Mokuba piled pomegranates, grapes and plums on a plate.

"The Pharaoh believes that Kaiba is safe," Jounouchi said. "He's apparently quite valuable to Bakura and his… helpers."

"I don't care what the Pharaoh believes!" Mokuba looked around nervously before he voiced his thoughts out loud. "I want my brother."

"We didn't find any clues as to where Kaiba might be." Jounouchi was exhausted, but how could he rest now that he knew so much was at stake? "Except for that Hirutani has been a double-crosser the whole time."

"Hirutani? He was the one who told us you were dead!" Yuugi exclaimed.

Jounouchi nodded. "Yeah, that son of a bitch..! Mokuba told me the same. I can't believe what he did… and the irony of it all! He was the leader of the taskforce that specialized in gangs, but he apparently was never able to leave that world behind him." He didn't like the resurfacing memories every time Hirutani was mentioned. In his younger years, Jounouchi had been part of the same gang, using violence as a survival mechanism to duel with his bad youth. He left the gang after meeting Yuugi, and a couple months later, Hirutani followed, shaking off the bad influence of underground violence and extortion. It seemed that Hirutani hadn't cut ties as thoroughly as Jounouchi. He had used his contacts both as an officer of the law and as a gang member to profit from both worlds, a double-crossing double-crosser. Jounouchi still didn't feel much empathy now that Hirutani had been killed, but he had to notify captain Ushio.

"That's bad." Mokuba added a jug of milk to the rapidly increasing amount of food and drink items on the table. "But…" he hesitated, "that could mean… more people in the police force could be corrupt as well?"

"Yeah, you're right." Jounouchi hadn't contemplated that thought yet. He helped himself to the contents of a reddish pan, a hearty dish containing fava beans. "Either Hirutani or Bakura and his infernal Ring could have corrupted the entire police force..." Just like Varon, Amelda and Rafael. What had happened to them? "Fuck, now I'm starting to doubt everyone at the station, except for Honda. I trust him a 1000 %."

Yuugi stuck a spoon into a bowl of yogurt. "Nothing could corrupt Honda-kun," he said, offended at the mere thought. "He'd never forsake his duty. We have to tell him that you're alive, Jounouchi-kun."

"No." Jounouchi hurried to explain himself when he saw the non-understanding look on Yuugi's face. "It's for the better that he doesn't know yet. If Hirutani's and/or Bakura's influence reaches deep into the police force, Honda could get into serious trouble with these dark powers at work." He frowned. He spoke of strange, dark powers so easily. If he hadn't witnessed it himself, he probably would've laughed at the thought; more than probably to hide his fear, as Jounouchi wasn't keen on anything supernatural. But he _had_ witnessed it: he had seen Mahaado summon a Kaa monster that could do real damage, and he had seen the Pharaoh manipulating the shadows to save his friend. "I feel terrible about it, but it's for the best that he doesn't know. I'll explain it to him later."

"Later, yes." Mokuba sat down. "Have something to eat, guys."

They ate in comfortable silence, not dragging up the events again. Jounouchi had a million questions for Yuugi and he wondered how his friend was so calm. He'd been kidnapped and held prisoner against his will, and yet he was eating dinner like he hadn't been tensed or stressed at all. Even Mokuba, while still worrying about his brother, was eating with gusto, every now and then commenting on the ingredients in a dish. It had to be the mansion which, strangely enough, had such a calming effect on all of them. Not a dark power for once, but a light power, a good kind of power that strengthened and soothed them. Half-way through dinner, Ishizu joined the table. Jounouchi noticed that he wasn't the only one to be exhausted; she looked like she hadn't seen any sleep in ages.

"How's the Pharaoh?" he asked.

"Mahaado is with him," Ishizu answered. "He is not happy at the moment." A small smile. "Trying to summon a God was quite reckless of our Pharaoh. He is strong, but not strong enough to sustain an entire God. He chose to manipulate the shadows instead, but that was even more reckless."

Jounouchi remembered how one of those strange shadows had knocked that control device out of Bakura's hand.

"He is safe now, and so are we. No darkness will ever reach this mansion." Ishizu picked up a grape and rolled the fruit between her fingers. Her voice was significantly softer when she spoke again. "Have you seen my brother?"

It was Yuugi who answered her question. "Malik-kun was with me, Ishizu-san. When I woke up, he was in the same room and he stayed with me until Bakura-san…eh, needed me." Yuugi looked at the woman, compassion and kindness in his eyes. "He was very upset about everything, and kept apologizing to _me_ for some strange reason."

"At least he is still alive." Ishizu heaved a deep sigh. "I was not sure if he would survive without his dark half. Malik is not as strong as the Pharaoh, unfortunately."

Jounouchi suppressed a yawn. "How soon can we go after Malik and Kaiba?" he asked.

"There is still time. They both are not in any danger." Ishizu put her fingers on her necklace, the Sennen Tauk. The Pharaoh had returned the Item to her, as he deemed her the original owner. It matched perfectly with her traditional garb, the soft beige colors of the fabric contrasting with the deep, rich golden jewelry. "I have not foreseen any ill forebodings."

"But Bakura-san wanted to kill everyone," Yuugi said, "even the Pharaoh!"

Ishizu widened her eyes, as if in shock. "He did? That does not sound like the thief at all," she said, pensively. "Bakura is a very patient man who plans years, decades, centuries in advance. It sounds nothing like him to rush or to simply kill someone, especially the Pharaoh. I am afraid that this is Zorc's work."

"Who's this Zorc guy anyway?" Mokuba piped up.

"I doubt he exists," Jounouchi said. "It's a fake personality Bakura uses. He set it all up."

Ishizu shook her head. "No, Jounouchi. Zorc is a God of Darkness who was defeated and sealed away by the Pharaoh. It cost him his life, and his name."

"His name?"

"Yes. In the process of sealing Zorc, the Pharaoh used a very powerful magic spell, including his own name as to make the spell work. He erased his name from every record and the nation's collective memory to make sure that no one would be able to use the spell again to resurrect Zorc… in case someone would be insane enough to do that."

"Bakura. With the Items."

"Yes. But even if Bakura should have all the Sennen Items, he cannot resurrect Zorc as he does not know the Pharaoh's name. No one knows, not even the Pharaoh remembers it... Bakura is an element of the shadows. Zorc reaches from beyond any and all darkness out to him, and Bakura does his bidding."

"I don't see Bakura as the kind of guy to take orders from anyone," Jounouchi protested.

"I do not think he does," Ishizu agreed. "Do not forget that his plans are long-term. Zorc might think that he has a handy pawn in Bakura, but the thief might use Zorc for his own goals. Bakura wants nothing but revenge on the Pharaoh. He blames for him killing his entire family when the Sennen Items were created. It does not matter to Bakura that the Pharaoh never had, or has, any involvement in that at all. It was the Pharaoh's father, who atoned gravely for his sins. All that Bakura sees is the Pharaoh and his light half, and he wants them destroyed beyond death itself."

Yuugi shivered violently.

"It was a drastic sacrifice," Ishizu continued, "but without it, the entire world would have been plunged into eternal darkness. Without his proper name though, the Pharaoh cannot pass to the afterlife. His rest has been denied for three millennia by now, and he has been fighting the darkness ever since."

"That's… terrible," Yuugi said, downtrodden.

"Zorc manipulates Bakura, Bakura uses Zorc. It is hard to determine who does what, or which one is which. Maybe Bakura thinks he is Zorc, or perhaps he is a part of Zorc. It is the question of who has the darkest personality or the darkest powers. In this case, I believe this was a test- the whole showdown at Zorc Security. Zorc wanted to see how strong the Pharaoh was, what kind of powers his friends possessed." Ishizu's voice trailed off and silence fell. After a while, she asked if anyone wanted more tea, but everyone declined.

Jounouchi hid a large yawn behind his hand. "We should find ourselves a bed," he said.

"There is plenty of room in the mansion." Ishizu got up from her chair. "Mokuba, you can use the room you were already in. Jounouchi, you know your way around. Yuugi, there is a bedroom available…"

"Close to Jounouchi-kun?" Yuugi asked.

She smiled at him. "Close to Jounouchi. Follow me."

As the group went upstairs, they ran into Mahaado who exited the Pharaoh's room. He looked pretty exhausted himself and bowed to Ishizu when she passed him. She returned the polite gesture. Without a word, he continued his way, as if lost in thoughts.

"Is the Pharaoh asleep?" Yuugi asked, intrigued.

"He needs his rest as to sustain both himself and Mahaado in this plane of existence," Ishizu said. "And to carry the Puzzle. The Sennen Items…"

"Yuugi, what the hell _are you doing_?" Jounouchi's voice shot up a few notches when Yuugi opened the door to the bedroom. He wanted to grab his friend at the elbow and pull him back, but Yuugi had already slipped through the small opening. Jounouchi held his breath. What on earth was Yuugi thinking? He followed Yuugi into the darkened bedroom, curtains firmly closed. A small orb hovering over an elaborate nightstand emitted a very gentle light, just enough to see the contours of the furniture and the outlines of the Pharaoh in his bed, his back turned towards the intruders. Jounouchi hissed at Yuugi who approached the bed, sneaking like a burglar.

"Yuugi!" He waved at him to get his attention, but Yuugi ignored him. Instead, he lifted up one of the blankets on the bed and tucked it around the Pharaoh's feet. Jounouchi didn't know whether to cry hysterically or laugh his ass off.

"Come on Yuugi," he whispered urgently, "you shouldn't be here."

He turned around and bumped into Mahaado, carrying an extra blanket. The face of the magician-priest showed a furious, angry expression and for a moment Jounouchi feared that he was going to cast a spell that would destroy everyone in the room. Yuugi looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"I'm sorry," he stammered. "I… I went too far. I'm sorry…"

"We were just leaving," Jounouchi said. He wasn't sure what the priest was so furious about. Yuugi hadn't touched the Pharaoh, but he and Jounouchi had entered his bedroom without permission. "We didn't mean to do anything." The look in Mahaado's eyes unnerved him; he had seen him angry, shocked, in awe, concentrated or offended before, but he didn't recognize this look, filled with… _pain._ His mouth took off with him. "You keep telling us that he's so strong, but all I hear is "Take a rest, Pharaoh", "Take it easy Pharaoh", "you should sleep now, Pharaoh"." Jounouchi pointed at the bed. "We made sure that he's still warm and asleep, like a baby."

Mahaado crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You have no idea what you are talking about, have you not?" His voice boomed. "My Pharaoh _is_ strong. How do you think I am able to be _here_? He maintains and sustains both our presence in this world, and my ability to perform magic! Carrying the entire Earth on your shoulders is a breeze in the park compared to keeping two adult people, one with complete magic, grounded and solid in a totally different plane of existence! Now _you_ tell _me_ if he is not allowed to sleep as he has carried this heavy burden all alone for so long!"

It was nothing short of a miracle that said Pharaoh didn't wake up from his loud voice, and Mahaado made a dramatic exit, his robes billowing behind him.

"Mahaado-san, wait!" Yuugi called out after him.

"Mahaado, please," Ishizu said, but not even her plea could stop him. Yuugi wanted to go after him, but she blocked his way. "It is better to leave him alone for now," she said. There was no scolding in her voice, but her face mirrored some of Mahaado's pain. Jounouchi didn't understand. What was going on? "Let us all retreat and regain our strength."

A bit downtrodden, everyone searched out their assigned accommodation. Jounouchi tried to stay awake in case Yuugi would come over to his room to talk, but his eyes slid close and he fell asleep within minutes.

* * *

The next morning, everyone sans the Pharaoh, gathered at the large table in the kitchen, as if they were a family getting ready for the new day. Mahaado healed Jounouchi's bruised jaw and Yuugi's sore back. His face was shut tight as a graveyard gate and not a word left his lips. Mokuba helped Ishizu to set the table and soon everyone sat down, sharing breakfast. Jounouchi kept an eye on Mahaado, not pleased with the sudden distance in the man's attitude. Sure, he and Mahaado had started off on the wrong foot, but they had grown to become some kind of friends, at least that was how Jounouchi regarded him: a friend. It was hard to read the magician-priest's face, but the way he tore his bread apart into a thousand crumbs, made it obvious that he was upset, very upset. A minute later, Mahaado and Ishizu rose from their chairs, bowing to each other. Jounouchi thought that breakfast was over, but then he realized they weren't bowing to each other, but to the Pharaoh who had soundlessly entered the kitchen. He looked as pristine as ever; Mahaado had healed him first of course, and there wasn't a dent visible anymore in his golden, broad necklace.

"Good morning Pharaoh," Jounouchi said. Mokuba and Yuugi said the same, whereas Mahaado and Ishizu greeted him in Ancient Egyptian. He nodded solemnly at everyone before sitting down. Yuugi stared at him for a brief moment and blushed furiously, then buried his face into another bowl of yogurt. Mahaado put a modest amount of food on a plate and silently, all but shoved it towards the Pharaoh. Jounouchi could see from his raised eyebrows that the Pharaoh wasn't amused with the brusque gesture - and if the Pharaoh was taken aback by Mahaado's behavior, then something really, _really_ strange had to be going on.

"I hope that everyone has rested well," he spoke, "for today is an important day."

"We're going to rescue my brother," Mokuba said fiercely. "And Malik," he added.

"We have gained ourselves a victory, but the battle is not over, indeed. Set is safe for now, so we still have time to prepare." The Pharaoh reached with his slender fingers for a piece of bread.

Mokuba leaned into Yuugi, but his voice was loud enough for Jounouchi to overhear: "Ishizu-san told me why they refer to my brother as 'Set'. Apparently, he's the incarnation of the Pharaoh's High Priest and the original wielder of the Sennen Rod."

Jounouchi almost spit out his tea. Kaiba, the reincarnation of a _priest_? He would call bullshit on everything! Kaiba wouldn't like to be in the service of anyone, he had always been his own boss. It was interesting to know though, that the Item Marik coveted so much, originally belonged to Kaiba. It was getting weirder by the minute.

"But where _is_ Kaiba-kun?" Yuugi asked the logical, next question. "He wasn't at Zorc Security."

"He has to be somewhere easily accessible to Bakura," Jounouchi thought out loud. "Those mechanical arms that restrained Yuugi, the robots…when I drew my gun, lasers destroyed it. Bakura had some kind of controlling device. It reminded me of the security system in the KaibaCorp. building."

"Bakura stole my brother's technology?" Mokuba was aghast at Jounouchi's words.

"Worse, I think Bakura is forcing Kaiba to work on that system, as an ultimate defense," Jounouchi said. "That's why your brother's so important to him. Not only because of his past, but also because of who he is in this present day, and what he can do."

Mokuba slammed his fist on the table, insulted that Bakura had even dared to touch Kaiba's technology. "Give me a computer, and I'll get to the bottom of this! I can log into the KaibaCorp.'s network and see what's going on! Whenever my brother worked on his technology, he used resources from HQ. I can check the activity logs!"

"I'm thinking of something else too," Yuugi said, his face ghostly pale. "Mokuba-kun… remember what you told me before? The basement under KaibaCorp… You told me what was there."

Mokuba paled as well. "Gozaburo's war material," he said. "What's left from his… empire. All our systems have been connected to Zorc Security for 'optimal security benefits'. Oh no, no..."

"Bakura of Darkness has infiltrated like the ghost from the shadows that he is," the Pharaoh said. "He is a thief and a stealer of souls, Mokuba. It is not your fault, nor your brother's. Bakura has had ages to set this all up, and he has worked towards his goal patiently and diligently. His ultimate goal is the resurrection of Zorc and he already has three Items: the Ring, the Rod and the Eye. He knows we have the other Items. The question is, are we going to wait for him, or are we going after him?"

"After him, of course, do you even need to ask?" Mokuba yelled. "My brother is in danger!

How can you sit on your asses and do _nothing_?"

"You will not speak to the Pharaoh that way!" Mahaado's voice was as sharp as a whiplash, and Mokuba flinched as if he had been physically hit.

"You do not understand the mechanics of this war," the Pharaoh elaborated, lacing his fingers together. "It is like a strategy game. We reveal our trump cards to each other, one by one, and await the other's move. The steps are taking centuries, as darkness will always be in constant war with light, and the turn of the ages does not change anything about that. Bakura has lost one of his assets - my apologies, _aibou_ , for referring to you this way - but he still holds a great deal of advantage."

"It's all right, _mou hitori no boku_ ," Yuugi said, ignoring the strange look Jounouchi gave him. "I know you're doing the best you can."

"It is better for the Pharaoh that you stay here," Mahaado said, his voice devoid of any intonation. "Your presence will help generate his strength and powers faster."

"Bakura knows we have gained a big advantage," the Pharaoh went on, "but he will not rush his plans. It would not come as a surprise to me if Bakura had actually planned for us to gain this advantage. He wants to show us that he is in command. We are only his puppets as he orchestrates his next move."

"Enough with all the talking! What do we do now?" Mokuba wasn't so patient. "Whatever you do, I'm coming along. You need me to get into KaibaCorp.!"

"It's the most logical place where Kaiba could be," Jounouchi agreed. "Bakura is hiding him in plain sight, and forces him to work on that system in the meantime."

"Aishizu, can you provide Mokuba with everything he needs?" the Pharaoh asked. She nodded. "You can support us, but at a safe distance," he continued, addressing Mokuba. "I know how you feel, but I rather have you not there on the battlefield. In this stage, Monsters and Gods will be summoned. Bakura has an especially powerful Monster called Diabound, filled and grown from his hatred. Its attacks are devastating."

"You have no idea how I feel!" Mokuba blurted out. "I'm coming along to save my brother, whether you like it or not!"

Mahaado opened his mouth, but the Pharaoh put up his hand. His fiery red eyes narrowed and his voice took on a much lower, darker tone.

"I have seen everyone I loved die because they believed in me. I had to die myself and leave everything and everyone I loved behind. I had to sacrifice my name to make sure the most evil darkness in the world would be sealed. My priests died willingly, offering their energy and love to me to defeat this horrible menace. Zorc is a God, and I will summon a God to destroy him. This will not be safe for anyone involved, so you. _are. not. coming. along_."

Mokuba stared at his plate, his cheeks red, his food completely forgotten.

"Pharaoh, even with Yuugi here," Ishizu said, voice soft, "you are not strong enough to summon Ra with all of his abilities."

"My light half will not be coming along either," the Pharaoh said, coldly. "I will not take that risk."

Yuugi shook his head. "I'm coming along, no matter what," he said. He waited a split second before he asked: "What would it take to be strong enough?"

Ishizu averted his eyes. "To be grounded in this plane of existence for real." A heavy silence fell. Malik's darker half, Marik, had killed their adoptive brother Rishid to gain a solid, physical body. A human sacrifice. Jounouchi didn't feel like eating anymore. _Yadonushi-sama_. How much time was there left for Bakura Ryou? And what if Bakura obtained a solid body… or Zorc… would that mean the end of the world?


	18. Chapter 18

Jounouchi excused himself from the breakfast table and went upstairs to retreat to his room. He needed some time to think about everything that had happened and to form a new strategy. Now that Yuugi was safe, he could focus on rescuing Kaiba. The CEO would be appalled at the thought of being rescued, let alone Jounouchi being his rescuer, but it was obvious Kaiba was in big trouble. Maybe Bakura hadn't killed him right away, but his usefulness was going to run out anytime soon... he sat down on his bed and stared outside the window, just to clear his mind. This mansion had such a calming effect on him, strange but true. It probably had something to do with Mahaado's magic. Maybe he could ask him… a knock on the door interrupted his train of thoughts.

"Come in!"

Yuugi stuck his head around the door and saw that Jounouchi was alone. He slipped inside and closed the door behind him, cradling his grandfather's notebook to his chest.

"Jounouchi-kun, are you all right?"

"Sure," he answered. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because of… well, what happened."

"I'm not the one who got kidnapped. Are _you_ all right?"

"I don't know. My inner psychologist is telling me what I should feel and what I should do, but my inner Yuugi just doesn't know what to do."

Jounouchi chuckled. "Don't worry; I'm sure your inner Yuugi will figure it out. This is the weirdest situation you and me have ever been in, and I've been through a lot."

"Yes, you're absolutely right. Who would've thought that Hirutani-san was such a manipulator? Who would've thought that Bakura-kun… that something would come over him, turning him into someone else? A dark personality, a kidnapper and a possible killer?"

Jounouchi didn't answer to that. He was convinced that Dark Bakura _was_ a killer, but he didn't have solid proof, not yet.

"At least now we're all together," Yuugi continued. "I'm here, you're here, Mokuba-kun's here, Ishizu-san, Mahaado-san, the Pharaoh… and soon enough, Kaiba-kun will be here as well."

Jounouchi knew that Yuugi had a positive outlook in general, but his friend had gone through something traumatic and he was worried about his well-being. "Yuugi, you've been kidnapped, abused and threatened… you're not all right at all, you need to take care of yourself."

He was silent for a moment. "I was very afraid," he finally admitted. "I… it all happened so fast. Big, burly guys who grabbed me and dragged me out of the bed. They didn't hurt me, though - I mean, I wasn't beaten or punched."

"Did they drug you?"

"No, but I couldn't see anything anyway. It was so dark. They didn't speak, I could only hear their breathing. It was terrifying. I kept yelling, begging them to say something, to talk to me… but nobody said a word, and when I finally heard a voice, I was scared out of my mind."

"Bakura spoke to you?"

"Yes, yes he did. He wasn't the Bakura Ryou I know, of course."

"Wait… what, you know him?"

Yuugi nodded. "I told Honda-kun all about it. You don't remember him from High School either, do you? Quiet, shy transfer student? He sometimes watched us play games, and I believe he loved tabletop games too. I never really interacted with him much, something I regret… maybe if I had, none of this would've happened."

"You don't know that," Jounouchi protested. "Thing in life… happen, Yuugi. There's no way you could've had any influence on Bakura Ryou's life."

"Maybe, maybe not. But if I'd been more of a friend, he wouldn't have to go through this all alone."

Jounouchi didn't know what to say to that. He wasn't even sure if Bakura Ryou was still alive. What if Dark Bakura had used him to gain his own body? "What did Bakura say to you?" he returned to the previous topic.

"He was pretty forward with me, actually," Yuugi said. He sat down on the bed, looking tired despite a night's rest. "He told me that he was going to use me as a bait to get the Pharaoh. That I was weak and could never withstand the darkness." He hugged himself. "So much menace, so much vitriol… he frightened me."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Jounouchi said. He remembered very well how scared he had been of Bakura himself, in the interrogation room. "What about Malik?"

"Very upset. He just kept saying it was his fault, that he should never have left home… I couldn't make heads or tails out of it. His darker… eh.. personality was with Bakura. He was also menacing, but in a different way. He said that I was pretty, but not as pretty as the Pharaoh. I wanted to take a scorching hot shower so bad!"

"Never mind Marik, he isn't right in the head," Jounouchi said. "I'm glad you made it out safe, Yuugi."

"Thanks to you," he beamed, "and the Pharaoh, of course."

"Yeah, which reminds me," Jounouchi said. "What's with all this ' _mou hitori no boku_ ' and ' _aibou_ ' stuff? You know each other for barely a day!"

"Have you ever had the feeling," Yuugi said softly, looking up at Jounouchi from under his golden bangs, "that when you met someone, your entire world was turned upside down? That your breath was taken away, that your heart was beating faster, that your mind immediately connected to the other? That you loved someone at first sight?"

Jounouchi shook his head. "I can't say I've ever experienced love at first sight," he answered. "I'd like to be happy for you, but I have bad news." He hated to crush Yuugi's hope, but it was better to do it now than later.

"Yes, I know. Mahaado-san. I could see it in his eyes."

"What?"

"You saw it too, Jounouchi-kun. I hurt him so much when I adjusted the Pharaoh's blanket. … _his_ Pharaoh. You heard his misaddressing. He said " _my_ Pharaoh". He loves him more than anything in the world, and I… may all the Gods forgive me, but _I_ want to be with the Pharaoh, more than anyone or anything else. He's the other half of my soul, Jounouchi-kun."

"Don't get me wrong Yuugi, but…didn't you have a major crush on Anzu back in high school? Or…"

"I wasn't faking it," Yuugi said. "I really loved, and love, Anzu-chan. She's a wonderful friend and a good person. I was convinced I could be with her, as husband and wife, for so long… but as you know, I didn't act upon my feelings, and she married Otogi-kun. I was devastated at first, and then I was devastated to discover that it wasn't bothering me as much as I thought it would. I don't know how to explain it, Jounouchi-kun. Maybe I never asked Anzu-chan to marry me because deep down, I felt I didn't belong with her. That I would end up hurting her, as time was going to teach me that my feelings weren't with her, but for someone else… and a man to boot. My true preference would've surfaced, sooner or later. And now that I've met the Pharaoh, I know to whom I belong. It's with him."

"Yuugi, when you've got it, you've got it bad, don't you? Your Pharaoh… he's not… easy accessible." Jounouchi didn't want to use the word 'dead', as he didn't know if that was the right word to describe the Pharaoh's current state. Both Ishizu and Mahaado had mentioned that he was the one to keep them grounded in this plane of existence, but what did that make him? A magician? A God?

"I know, I know!" Yuugi shivered. "Let's talk about something else," he abruptly said and opened the notebook. "I think there's a way to figure out his name."

"Really?" Jounouchi didn't protest about Yuugi's change of topic.

"As you know, my grandfather visited the Pharaoh's tomb in his younger years. He copied the hieroglyphs and the layout of the tomb. I take it that the Pharaoh's name had already been removed when my grandfather was there, but I believe he figured it out anyway, and hid clues to finding it, in his notes."

"So he knew the Pharaoh's name but never wrote it down, safe for some clues? Yuugi, we don't have the time to puzzle it all out. It'll take ages to cross-reference and discover the clues in the first place. You don't know what to look for! Why should your grandfather have hidden it? If I discovered something big like the name of a long forgotten Pharaoh, I'd announce it to the world!"

"We can at least give it a try," Yuugi said, stubbornly.

"All right, all right." Jounouchi sighed. It couldn't hurt, could it? He stared at the notebook, but the hieroglyphs bored him within minutes. "Look, Yuugi, even if you discover something, this mansion is the only place in the world to not have any Internet or wifi. We can't go online to do our research. Besides… what are we looking for, anyway?"

"Some kind of code," Yuugi said, engrossed. "My grandfather loved word riddles and cryptograms. There has to be something in this notebook! It's the only memento left of his archaeological career. He disposed of everything else, why would he have kept this?"

"I don't know, nostalgic value? We're wasting our time, Yuugi."

Yuugi studied his grandfather's handwriting, lost in thoughts. Jounouchi heaved a sigh. Just as he was about to comment, a knock on the door announced Mahaado's arrival.

"The Pharaoh wishes to speak to Yuugi," he said, his voice sterner than usual. Yuugi and Jounouchi exchanged an uncomfortable look before following the magician-priest, whose firm stride was hard to keep up with. They went downstairs instead of going to the large room with the open fire place. Mahaado led Yuugi into the garden, where the Pharaoh was sitting next to the fountain, raking his hand through the calm, floating water.

"Yuugi is here as you requested, Great Pharaoh."

"Thank you, Mahaado." The Pharaoh barely acknowledged his Priest's presence, and Mahaado bowed stiffly before retreating into the mansion again. Jounouchi stopped him, well out of earshot of Yuugi and the Pharaoh.

"Mahaado.".

"Yes, Jounouchi?"

He was sure he wasn't the right person to comfort the man, but Jounouchi wanted to get it off his chest. "Look, I might be a detective and all, but sometimes I don't see things unless they're happening right in front of my eyes or when it's rubbed in my face," he started. Mahaado looked bored. Not a very fitting look. "I know that you and the Pharaoh are close, very close."

"I am honored to be in his service and I will continue to serve him in every way possible, to the best of my abilities." A robot couldn't have delivered it better. Jounouchi wanted to stomp him against the shoulder, as he used to do with Honda. Time to ditch subtlety, as far as he was ever able to be subtle.

"Mahaado - I know you love him, and that he loves you. I can see it," he said. It had taken him days to realize it, while Yuugi had deduced it within hours, "But Yuugi, he…"

"The Pharaoh has found the other half of his soul," Mahaado cut him off. "I know my place, and so should you."

"I know I'm not high up in the Pharaoh food chain, but that doesn't mean I don't care, all right?"

Mahaado bowed to him - not a sarcastic, small or degrading bow, but almost as deep as he would bow for the Pharaoh. Jounouchi took a step back, feeling embarrassed at being shown such honor. Finally, Mahaado straightened himself again.

"Do not underestimate the Great Pharaoh," he said. "He holds you in high regard, Jounouchi Katsuya. He will protect you like you were one of his people." With that said, Mahaado disappeared into the mansion, leaving Jounouchi behind, completely baffled.

"Crazy ass Egyptians," he mumbled.

* * *

Mokuba had installed himself at the large kitchen table, behind an expensive looking laptop and a large arsenal of routers and other electronic equipment Jounouchi didn't recognize. He wasn't that computer-savvy anyway and admired Mokuba's fast typing skills, his fingers racing over the keyboard.

"Did you find your brother?"

Mokuba shook his head. "No, but all of his appointments have been cancelled," he said. "His computer and cellphone are offline, I checked. I tried to access the main server, but the passwords have been changed." He cracked his knuckles. "Don't worry, I'll get in. Just give me a moment."

"Before you start, I'd like to ask you something."

"Sure!"

"Yesterday, when we discussed your brother's whereabouts… you mentioned "Gozaburo and his war material". Yuugi seemed to know what you were talking about, but fill me in, please? You both were upset."

Mokuba wasn't shy to share his life story with Jounouchi. He told him about his adoptive father, how he had made his elder brother's life to a living hell, and how much of a warmonger he had been.

"So… you're telling me that all this war material still exists?" Jounouchi asked.

"Yes, but don't ask me why." Mokuba stared at the laptop screen, but he wasn't focusing on the scrolling text. "I figure my brother wanted to keep it as a permanent reminder that we wouldn't allow this to ever happen again. That's why he's so hung up on Duel Monsters. It's a card game, beloved and popular… it's for _children_ , not for adults and their guns and rifles and tanks."

"I understand," Jounouchi said. His mind raced a mile a minute. KaibaCorp.. War material. Electronics. Computers. Bakura with that controlling device. Bakura had kidnapped Kaiba. _Bakura has access to all of that war material and computers through Kaiba. The Darkness has access to tanks and guns and oh jesus fuck we're screwed._

"Hi, Ishizu-san," Mokuba said cheerfully while Jounouchi was still processing that train of thoughts. He hadn't heard the woman enter the kitchen, but then again, all of these Egyptians moved around in complete silence.

"Does everything work according to your wishes?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you so much, Ishizu-san!"

She put a large basket with fresh vegetables on the kitchen counter top. "When I lived underground as a member of the Tomb Keepers clan, I accepted our nomadic, basic lifestyle. But when I grew up and went to Cairo to become a historian and a museum director, I fell in love with modern technology. The luxury of a water cooker for instance, instead of having to keep a pot of water hanging over an open fire for hours - that was really an eye opener to me!"

"Why did you live underground, Ishizu-san?"

She looked sad while she grabbed a cutting board and a knife to chop the vegetables. "The elders of the Tomb Keepers talked all day about the interpretation of the vows they made to the Pharaoh, and how to protect the Sennen Items from falling into the wrong hands. The Rod and the Tauk had been in our possession for ages."

"Wait a minute - the vows they made to the Pharaoh? This Pharaoh? The one upstairs?"

"The very same, or so I believe." Ishizu sighed. "Unfortunately, we did not have computers in the old ages Jounouchi, or else we would have written down exactly what kind of promises or vows had been made. Remember what I told you before?"

"Yes. 'The Tomb Keepers are ready to atone for their sins and vow to protect once more'."

"You have an excellent memory." Ishizu took up the knife and started to cut the spring onions in neat, even pieces. "I have been told this my entire life: keep the vows of the Ishtar clan, protect the Sennen Items, do not anger or disappoint the Pharaoh. To live up to all of this, the elders decided it was best to live underground, to distance ourselves from the outside world. It had become such a tradition that nobody questioned it."

Mokuba stopped tapping at the keyboard and listened intently. As if she wasn't telling a downhearted story at all, Ishizu continued to prepare ingredients in advance for lunch "I am one of the last generation, together with my brother," she said. "The Tomb Keepers, the tribe, our clan, has died dwindled down to this branch. We never fought against the rites and traditions that were put upon our shoulders, the responsibility we had to bear. The few questions we asked, were answered in a way that rose even more questions. What were we supposed to do? Malik was my life, he was my entire world. I promised the world to him, and in doing so, I also planted the seed of his anger and hatred."

"How come, Ishizu-san?" Mokuba asked.

"Because of my stories of the outside world," she answered, setting aside the bok choy. "The women were allowed to go outside every now and then, to go to the market or run other errands. You do not grow many crops underground. I described everything to Malik: the sun, the people, the desert. He grew impatient, wanting to know when it was his turn." A small hitch in her voice. "It broke my heart to tell him that he was not allowed to go outside, if ever. Instead, he had to undergo a certain ritual, that… scarred him for life. It gave birth to even more pain and hatred, and when Malik finally got above ground, he had a look of ecstasy on his face that I will never forget. But he was not followed by his brother Rishid, but by his dark side. I will never forget the look on _his_ face either."

"Marik."

"Marik, yes." Ishizu filled a pot with water. "The embodiment of all that is painful and dark." She fell silent after that and Jounouchi understood that she didn't want to talk about it anymore, at least not for now.

"There!" Mokuba shot up in his chair. "I've found him!"

"Kaiba?" Jounouchi looked over Mokuba's shoulder, at a laptop screen filled with text boxes. but he couldn't make heads or tails out He turned his attention back to Mokuba.

"A lot of energy is being redirected to the lower levels of KaibaCorp.," Mokuba pointed at a graph on screen that told Jounouchi absolutely nothing. "This comes from an old server that only a few people know about."

"You and Kaiba," Jounouchi said.

"Exactly. My brother is alive and at KaibaCorp.. I knew it!"

"Well, I guess the Pharaoh was right to believe that Kaiba was safe, and valuable to Bakura," Jounouchi grimaced. Bakura was a patient man who worked from the shadows, and he was also very fond of having others do his dirty work for him. Varon, Amelda, Rafael… and now Kaiba. What did Dark Bakura want from him? What had Ancient Egypt to do with modern technology?

"Oh, while I was searching for my brother," Mokuba said, "I did some digging around, Jounouchi. About your 'friend', Hirutani."

"Yes? What did you find?"

The youngster scrunched up his face. "A memorial service was held in his honor."

"Well, that's no surprise." Jounouchi shrugged. "To the police force, he was an esteemed colleague and a hero. To us, he was a double-crosser who had more darkness in his heart than we could ever imagine. Not everyone knew his true nature."

"You're right. Still… I couldn't find anything about you, Jounouchi. No memorial service or honorable mention. And what worries me the most… nothing about Honda either. He's even completely disappeared from the payroll."

"What?" Jounouchi balled his fist. "If something has happened to him…" _then it's all my fault._

"We will help your friend as soon as we have rescued my brother and Set," Ishizu said, stirring in pots and pans. Jounouchi wanted to scream. How could anyone of those Egyptians stay so calm all the time? Fuck yes, perhaps because they were all so fucking _old_ and thought time was totally on their hands. If Honda was in danger… what about Shizuka's safety? If Bakura had done something to his sister, he was going to kill that thief with his bare hands!

Yuugi ventured into the kitchen, stifling a yawn. Mokuba greeted him happily and brought him up to speed.

"I hope Honda-kun is all right," he said. "What if I tried to call him?"

"We can't risk anything at the moment," Jounouchi said, wryly. "If anyone of us tried to contact him, we would give our safe location away. It's painful, but we have to keep hope that he's all right for now."

Mokuba put the laptop aside, the screen faintly glowing as Yuugi sat down, yawning again.

"So, what have you been up to, Yuugi?"

"I talked to the Pharaoh," he answered and tapped on his grandfather's notebook that he carried around everywhere." He translated the hieroglyphs for me, but alas, we couldn't find a clue to his name." Another yawn.

"How come you're so tired?" Jounouchi asked. "Was sitting in the backyard that fatiguing to you?"

"I dunno," Yuugi said. "I feel like I've ran a marathon. I did sleep well last night, despite everything. Anyway, the Pharaoh encouraged me to continue my search, but to keep anything I would discover, to myself."

"Yes, because Zorc was sealed with the Pharaoh's name, he can also be resurrected with his name, right?"

"Exactly, Mokuba-kun. I just keep wondering what the key to the riddle is… I know I can figure it out. I used to crack all of my grandfather's codes and clues."

"You can use my laptop if you wish. Ishizu-san has brought me a very nifty one," Mokuba offered.

Jounouchi wondered if Ishizu could get him a gun. His previous one had been destroyed, and he felt naked without a weapon, especially when facing dark forces. He'd seen for himself that bullets and guns didn't help much where magic was involved, but still… he turned around to ask her, but Ishizu wasn't behind the stove. Where had she gone to? All the ingredients for lunch were laid out neatly on the kitchen counter top, ready for further preparation. An ominous feeling crept up on him.

"I'm going to take a look upstairs," he said. "It's far too silent to my liking."

"Something wrong?" Mokuba asked.

"Nah, I'm just going to check up on them and see if they're interested in lunch." Jounouchi sauntered out of the kitchen and went upstairs. Was it really that surprising to find all the bedrooms empty?

"Assholes," he muttered to himself. "Fuck!" He thundered down the stairs and stomped into the kitchen again.

"What's happened? Where's everyone?" Mokuba asked. "Are we going to have lunch soon?"

"They left without us," Jounouchi said, grumbling. "They're gone!"

"I didn't even hear the car start," Mokuba said, confusedly. Jounouchi didn't answer. The Pharaoh had other means of transportation at his disposal. He couldn't believe that they had done this behind his back! He threw on his jacket.

"I'm leaving."

"Oh no, you're not going to KaibaCorp. alone," Mokuba said and grabbed his own jacket.

"He might be an ass, but the Pharaoh was right. I don't want you to come along. It's too dangerous…"

"Shut the fuck up, Jounouchi!" Mokuba put on his shoes as well. "Yuugi, leave the laptop alone! Do you want to come along or not?"

Yuugi looked up, his eyes half-lidded from fatigue, but his smile was bright and warm.

"I know his name."


	19. Chapter 19

"You do? How? What?" Mokuba froze mid-movement, his curiosity getting the better of him. Even Jounouchi halted, unable to ignore his best friend's words.

"It was quite simple, actually," Yuugi smiled and yawned again, this time his eyes sliding close. It took him visible effort to keep them open, and he had difficulties pronouncing his words.

"What did the Pharaoh do to you, Yuugi?" Jounouchi grabbed him at the shoulders and shook him. Yuugi's head lolled from side to side, with still that satisfied, silly smile on his face.

"I know his name," he repeated. "Take me to him, Jounouchi-kun. He must know."

"You're not going anywhere," Jounouchi said sternly. "I don't know what happened, but since you returned from the garden, you're exhausted. You're going to stay here, and that's final!"

"No, Jounouchi-kun." Yuugi sounded fatigued, but determined. "I need to see him. I need to tell him his name. _Now._ "

Jounouchi and Mokuba exchanged a glance. The younger Kaiba hopped from one foot to the other. "We need to do something, Jounouchi!"

"Fine. Get in the car, the both of you," he said. "We'll stop by my place first. I need to pick up a piece." He wasn't going to venture into KaibaCorp. HQ without a gun, dark powers, magic and Gods be damned. It was a daunting risk to take, but he simply _had_ to; he wanted something to defend himself and the others with, come hell or high water. Neither Mokuba nor Yuugi objected and they left the mansion. It was hard to pull the door close behind him; Jounouchi had always felt welcomed here, and no matter how strange it sounded, it felt almost like the dwelling was sad to see them leave.

He was relieved to see that no one had meddled with the car. Jounouchi was ready to believe anything at this point, and Mahaado sabotaging the car so no one could follow him and his precious ass of a Pharaoh wasn't that much of a farfetched thought. He started the car and drove off, grumbling nonsensical words. Goddamn Pharaoh and goddamn Mahaado, and goddamn Ishizu for good measure! How dare they sneak off like that! _Do not underestimate the Great Pharaoh. He holds you in high regard, Jounouchi. He will protect you like you were one of his people._ And by 'protect', he meant 'leave you behind so I can take care of this shit on my own'. Jounouchi hated being babied! He was a goddamn detective, he didn't _need_ protection; _he_ protected people, for crying out loud! He stepped on the gas. The streets were completely empty, and it was darker than usual for this time of the evening. Jounouchi was sure the others noticed it too, but he didn't bring it up.

"Can't you whisper it into my ear, Yuugi?" Mokuba asked for the umpteenth time.

Yuugi shook his head. "No, I promised not to tell anyone," he said while trying his best to keep his eyes open. "Jounouchi-kun, please drive faster!"

"I'm already speeding," Jounouchi grunted.

"Where _is_ everyone?" Mokuba said. "There's not a soul out on the streets!"

Not even the street lanterns were working. Jounouchi gritted his teeth. _This is it. The battle between dark and light._ Now he really, really wanted to have a gun in his hands.

The apartment building he lived in, was deserted. Jounouchi summoned Mokuba and Yuugi to stay in the car and keep the doors locked. He ventured inside the building and avoided the elevator; the electricity wasn't working. It was simply abnormal to not see anyone around; Jounouchi would always run into a neighbor or a few kids playing tag. He ignored the eerie feeling settling in his body and hurried to his apartment. It was against the law, but Jounouchi didn't know a cop who didn't have an extra, back-up piece somewhere hidden in his house. He had bought a small safe especially for that purpose, and he also ignored his trembling fingers as he keyed in the code. With a huge sigh of relief, Jounouchi took out his spare gun and a couple of clips. He smashed the safe close again and waited for a brief moment. No sound. Deadly silence. What the fuck was Bakura doing? Had he turned everyone into mind slaves? Maybe one day he'd be able to look back and understand it all, really understand it. A Pharaoh, a magician, weird Items, dark sides, light sides… for now, he couldn't afford to linger and with his gun tucked in the waistband of his pants, Jounouchi raced back to the car.

"Did you get it?" Mokuba asked. Yuugi leaned comfortably against him, eyes half-lidded. "Can we go to KaibaCorp. now?"

"Yes, yes," Jounouchi said as he settled into the driver's seat. He started the car and drove off.

"Yuugi was just telling me how he found the Pharaoh's name," Mokuba said in an attempt to alleviate the tension, but his voice was strained as he couldn't mask his increasing worries.

"It wasn't that difficult," Yuugi said, sounding like a zombie, his words slow and elongated. "My grandfather had written down sets of coordinates. I figured it was the location of the Pharaoh's tomb, but when I Googled them on Mokuba-kun's laptop, they didn't point to Egypt at all. Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Teheran, Iran. Completely random, but I knew my grandfather wouldn't mention these coordinates without a purpose. It was just a matter of putting the pieces together, in the right sequence-" His sentence was cut short as a massive earthquake rocked the ground. Asphalt erupted around the car, lifting up the vehicle and rolling it to the side. A lantern post fell upon the hood and Yuugi and Mokuba screamed, whereas Jounouchi frantically tugged at the wheel - to no avail of course, but it was better than doing nothing. Within seconds, it was over.

"Are you all right?" Jounouchi looked over his shoulder. Yuugi and Mokuba clung to each other like two deer caught in headlights. "No one injured?"

"N-no," Mokuba said. "What happened?"

"Earthquake," Jounouchi said. "We..."

"No," Yuugi panted, "it wasn't an earthquake. He summoned a God. We have to hurry, Jounouchi-kun!"

He didn't question Yuugi's words and he shifted the gear into reverse. The tires spun around and slowly the car drove backwards, the lantern post sliding off the hood. He had to drive carefully to avoid all the cracks and tears in the road. The darkness intensified and Jounouchi had nothing but the two headlights of the car to orientate himself with. His speed dropped down to an absolute minimum; it felt like slugging through an oily swamp, covered by a heavy fog.

"There it is!" Mokuba's voice was shrill. KaibaCorp. showed up in front of them, like a beacon in the mist. The large KC logo was burning brightly; of course Bakura had the electricity running. Jounouchi could almost appreciate the irony of someone being called 'Dark' Bakura, bathing in light so exuberantly. He drove up to the building; to his dismay, both the entrance doors were wide open. Before he could park the car, Mokuba opened the door, jumped out and ran through the doors.

"Mokuba-kun! Wait!"

"We'll follow him." Jounouchi turned off the engine, exited the car and helped Yuugi to get out as well. "Can you walk?"

"Jounouchi-kun, he didn't do anything to me."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"My energy," Yuugi said. "The Pharaoh didn't take it from me. He asked if I wanted to give it to him willingly, and I did."

"You did? But why…"

"He didn't tell me that he was going to leave me at the mansion," Yuugi said, showing a weary smile. "I'll have to give him a stern lecture about that later."

"Let's just go," Jounouchi said, not even trying to understand his friend's actions. It was typically Yuugi to selflessly give and give, and not asking for anything in return. He dragged him along through the lobby, towards the elevators. The left one indicated it had gone down to the basement; Jounouchi decided to follow Mokuba's example and pressed the button for the right elevator. Soon enough, it announced its arrival with a 'ding' and Jounouchi and Yuugi got in.

Yuugi leaned heavily against him while Jounouchi took out his gun, taking the safety pal off. Bullets wouldn't help him much when Gods and magic were concerned, but still… he dumped his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, ready to fight street-style in case it was necessary.

"Bakura will have lots of robots, siphoning off of Kaiba's technology," Jounouchi said. "He'll use them to defend himself and to help him with whatever plans he has."

"We're going to save our friends," Yuugi said. "Robots or no robots."

"You must teach me your always-optimistic-outlook." Jounouchi grunted as the elevator came to a halt. The doors slid open and both Yuugi and Jounouchi squinted at the influx of bright light. It wasn't a natural light source, though. It came from a glow, surrounding a giant blue-colored… monster, smashing and destroying wave after wave of robots with its mighty fists. No doubt it was one of the Gods the Pharaoh was able to summon. Jounouchi quickly took stock of the situation. The battle wasn't going in the favor of the light side. Ishizu was struggling against the bonds of a small robot, its mechanical arms pinning her in place. Her Tauk was missing. Mahaado had his Magus of Fantasy Illusion flying around, fighting off more robots with powerful, magic blasts. The Pharaoh was protected by the tall, towering God, but his cape and the rest of his clothes were torn, and he wasn't wearing his Puzzle. The lack of the familiar golden object resting against his chest made Jounouchi cringe. He spotted Marik and Dark Bakura on the other side, the basement too large and too wide to get a good, solid view. Marik was watching the ongoing battle while Bakura stood in front of a huge, stone slab. He was hovering over the slab, holding the Sennen Items and putting them into the carved-out slots for each corresponding Item.

"Yuugi…" Jounouchi said breathlessly.

"I see it," Yuugi said, almost as breathless. "Bakura has all the Items."

Bakura put the Rod in place, under Marik's watchful eyes; he was obviously not happy to be separated from his beloved Item. Yuugi nudged Jounouchi. In the furthest corner sat Malik, next to Kaiba and Mokuba, all caught in mechanical arms; the robots restricted their every movement. Jounouchi pulled Yuugi back, to keep them out of sight; he assumed that Mokuba had run into the basement to search for his brother, which had made it extremely easy for Bakura to grab him. From the way Mokuba was leaning contently against Kaiba despite being bound, he didn't care at all, as long as he was with his brother.

"We should…" Jounouchi's suggestion was crudely interrupted as something hit him in the back with such force that he went flying through the air, and ended up sprawled in front of Marik. From the corners of his eyes he could see Yuugi, sliding painfully over the floor, cast aside like a rag doll. A low, menacing growl rolled over him and Jounouchi turned around to look at what hit him. Towering over him, a monster with a half-human body and a demonic head, mouth agape and showing off impressive fangs, its fingers encased in claw-like armor, had been the one to strike him. Jounouchi couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed this monster, even if it had approached him from behind; it was freakin' huge! His hand went to his gun nonetheless. This had to be Bakura's Kaa monster, Diabound - Mahaado had mentioned that it was filled with and grown from Bakura's hatred, right?

"So glad you can join us, Jounouchi-daimyo!" Marik grabbed Jounouchi at the collar and put him to his feet, shaking him like a wet puppy. He was very strong and Jounouchi quickly gave up fighting; not that he wasn't strong, but to conserve his energy.

"Just put him with the others," Bakura said, absent-minded. He hadn't put his Ring into its appropriate slot in the stone yet. Marik grinned and dragged Jounouchi with him. As soon as Kaiba saw him, he scowled.

"I should've known it was you," he said. "Where's your backup? Where's the entire police force?"

"Well, excuse me for trying to save your ass," Jounouchi said. Marik dumped him unceremoniously on the floor and immediately his arms were pressed against his back, immobilizing him, by those weird robots. Was this Kaiba Gozaburo's old war material?

"Saving _my_ ass? Mokuba told me your 'friends' are very powerful, and they haven't been able to put a dent in this fight!" Kaiba spat.

"He's a goddamn Pharaoh," Jounouchi spat right back. "And he called out a goddamn God to save you from being killed. Now shut the fuck up, Kaiba!"

"God is not a match for Diabound," Marik said as he pressed his foot against Jounouchi's chest and applied pressure. "The Giant God Soldier of Obelisk is just a dumb force, swatting at flies. Soon, pretty Pharaoh can't sustain him anymore and he'll disappear."

"He knows better than to fall for such a simple strategy," Jounouchi said, but he wasn't so sure about that. The Pharaoh and Mahaado were constantly battling the robotic forces, tiring the both of them out. Bakura was exhausting their energy before the real battle was even going to start. He tried to ignore the increasing pain on his chest, as Marik kept pushing. "How in the hell did you get his Puzzle anyway?"

"Diabound is a thief, just like pretty thief," Marik answered. "You never saw him coming either. He has the power of invisibility, thanks to Zorc."

"Zorc isn't pretty?" Jounouchi asked sarcastically.

"Ugly as fuck," Marik scrunched up his face. He pressed even harder. Jounouchi was afraid he was going to break his ribs. "Pretty thief takes care of everything. I get you to play with."

"Get your foot off of me, asshole," Jounouchi said, but with a loud cackle, Marik pressed harder and harder.

"Marik, please, stop," Ishizu pleaded from her precarious position. "Remember what we talked about! How we took our vows again! You are a part of the Tomb Keeper clan! You are one of the sacred guardians!"

It was impossible to imagine Marik as a sacred guardian, but her words had the slightest bit of effect on him. He seemed to hesitate, then he grinned; he removed his foot from Jounouchi's chest, who wheezed excessively.

"You're not important," he said. "Besides, I get to play with the Pharaoh's light half, and when Bakura is done, I get the Pharaoh himself to play with."

"I doubt that," Jounouchi said, still wheezing. "Bakura is never going to give him to a second-rate flunky like you."

Marik didn't understand the word 'flunky' and tilted his head curiously. Right at that moment, Malik moved. Jounouchi had been convinced the other had been unconscious, and it took Malik great effort to prop himself up on his elbows, and moved to look up at his dark half. Jounouchi was shocked when he saw his face. Apart from all the dark bruises, there was more hatred in Malik's eyes than he had ever seen on Bakura's face. Marik was merely amused.

"He's going to kill you," Malik snarled. "And I'll be looking forward to see you dead, you son of a bitch!"

Marik crouched down and Malik flinched visibly. He grabbed his chin, forcing Malik to look at him. "So deliciously cruel, _shujinkaku-sama._ So, so cruel. You're the reason why I even exist!" He licked his lips. "Your generous hatred for the pretty Pharaoh brought me to life, and now you hope he kills me? Such a bad brother you are. Tsk, tsk!"

"Marik, are you done?" Bakura sounded annoyed. Jounouchi looked over at him and saw to his relief that he hadn't harmed Yuugi. More so, he wasn't even bound by those robot things. "Come over here."

Marik showed Malik another diabolical grin and trotted over to Bakura. He put his Ring in the stone tablet and turned around to face the battleground. With a mighty roar, Obelisk disappeared. Jounouchi held his breath when he saw Mahaado rushing to keep the Pharaoh from falling over. Bakura was obviously pleased with himself, a wicked grin visible.

"Always send your cannon fodder first. Our poor Pharaoh's getting tired already. Now it's time to really put the nail in his coffin!"

"Bastard!" Jounouchi yelled at him. The arrogant prick! He knew very well that the Pharaoh had summoned his God to protect everyone, helplessly and defenselessly bound and shackled. Yuugi tried to get up and run away, but Bakura kicked him without much of an effort and he curled up into a ball, wincing in pain. Jounouchi growled and struggled against his bonds. He couldn't reach his gun, he couldn't move, there was nothing he could do! Frustrated, he scanned the area in the faint hope to find something he could use. His eyes fell upon a human-sized shape lying next to the stone tablet, covered with a black cloth. It wasn't moving, and if it was truly a human body underneath the fabric… _Human sacrifice. Fuck!_

"Jounouchi? Do you know what's going on?" Mokuba sounded scared and despite Kaiba putting on a brave face, like it was absolutely normal to sit here with his hands tied behind his back, Jounouchi could see past his exterior. Heck, he was scared out of his mind himself.

"Bakura is going to get himself a body," he said. He didn't know what the consequences were for Bakura Ryou, if he was still alive. The thief stood in front of the stone slab with the Sennen Items, and spread his arms dramatically. He started chanting. An ominous dark, purplish glow enveloped the huge artifact. The same glow covered the lifeless body next to the stone slab, and it was so creepy that Jounouchi wanted to scream like a little girl. He'd never been fond of anything supernatural, and this was just… too whacked out, too unreal, yet it was happening right in front of his eyes. He couldn't stop watching, just like the others, gasping and shuddering.

The chant didn't take too long. Bakura cackled. He stepped forward, literally stepping out of his body, and changed on the spot. He grew taller, his skin darkening, his bone-white hair roughly chopped and a large scar over his right cheek appeared. He was solid, like a real human being, flesh and bones. His original body, pale, skinny and unconscious, slumped to the ground. Marik caught him before he could hit the floor. The new Bakura shook his hands towards the ceiling and laughed out loud.

"So you must be Touzokou-oh," Marik said calmly. "I thought you were just a figment of Bakura's imagination."

"Don't be a fool," Bakura said. His voice hadn't changed in pitch, but the tone was a hundredfold times more menacing. "Take that body to the Pharaoh's light half and leave him there. Watch them! They can't interfere with my plans, not now."

Marik carried the body to Yuugi and dumped him just as unceremoniously on the floor as he had done with Jounouchi. It had to be the original Bakura, Ryou, the delivery boy who liked to collect RPG figurines. Jounouchi couldn't imagine what he had been through.

"Coward!"

Bakura discarded Malik, as he was addressing his darker half, not him.

"Look at you! A lapdog follow orders! You betray everything we stand for! Murderer! Why do you do everything this… this bastard tells you to do?"

"Enough, Malik," Ishizu said. She sounded defeated. "Forgive him, my brother."

"Shut up, the both of you!" Bakura's annoyed grunt dissolved into an evil pleasant smile; the kind that gave you chills running down your spine. "The second one will appear," he said and before Jounouchi could wonder what he was talking about, bright light washed all over the basement, blinding everyone. When Jounouchi opened his eyes again, he was stunned at the sight of the two-mouthed, red dragon-like God, opening its upper mouth to form an energetic blast.

"Yes, show me the power of God!" Bakura cried out.

Jounouchi didn't understand. Was Bakura that eager to battle? His Diabound was idling in one of the corners, not actively participating. Why would Bakura take an incoming blast head-on? Kaiba leaned into him, struggling to make himself heard.

"Don't allow the Pharaoh to attack!" he said. "That stone slab… it has been rigged with technology! Bakura had me adjust it, all of it - I don't know what it does, but stop him! Do something!"

Jounouchi didn't doubt Kaiba's words. He worked himself up on his knees, and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Don't attack! Stop! Hold your attack! Stop!"

Bakura, taller than his former host, closed the distance between him and Jounouchi with just a few strides and backhanded him. It didn't make much difference. Jounouchi voice got lost in the cacophony of sounds anyway and the God unleashed its attack, aimed straight at the stone slab. It crackled with energy, undamaged.

"Your screaming won't help," Bakura said, hissing. "Squirm and scream all you want! This world's going to hell. It won't be long before I obtain the Eighth Key, and then Zorc will be resurrected!"

"And then what?" Jounouchi ignored the tangy taste of blood in his mouth. He was dangling just above the floor, Bakura holding him up at his throat, all but crushing his windpipe. How come all these fucking Egyptians were so strong?

"Darkness of course, you fool." Bakura wasn't perturbed in the least. "Zorc will rule the world, and all will perish. Civilizations will crumble, people will die, and no more light. Darkness will reign forever."

"It must be so nice to rule an empty world," Jounouchi said, between gasps and pants. "And what will your position be, Bakura? A lackey? A flunky? Carrying out orders for your beloved Zorc? 'Here's your tea, master Zorc', 'Here's your newspaper, master Zorc'?"

Bakura's lips curled up in a snarl. "Orders? Lackey? Not at all, Jounouchi. You see, I don't give a damn about any kind of civilization or population. I only want to see the Pharaoh dead. I'm going to kill him, very slowly. I'll drive him mad with anger and grief, and I'll send him over the edge so that even the deepest darkness can't find him."

"You're sick!"

"Not as sick as he is," the thief said. "You think he's all golden and wonderful sunshine? Do you think he's the righteous ruler of the world?"

"He can be an ass," Jounouchi tried to shrug, "but he's not a killer."

This time Bakura's cackle took on a hysterical tone. "He's _not_ a killer? Do you even know how these Items were made?"

Jounouchi shook his head. Mahaado had called it 'complicated'. He was getting light-headed. The thief's grip was powerful, and it took him more and more strength each time to draw breath.

"My entire family was killed, my entire town was slaughtered," Bakura hissed, biting off every word. "Flesh, blood and bones were used to create the Items - all from my city, my family, those I cared for! This is the Pharaoh's fault, and he'll pay for it with his own life, a thousand times over! I'm going to tear out his soul and shred it over every plane of existence!"


	20. Chapter 20

"No!" Yuugi yelled from afar. Whether he'd been able to overhear Bakura or he was just yelling 'no' in general, Jounouchi didn't know as the next second, the attack of the red dragon-God all but blew them away. Even Bakura was thrown off of his feet and ironically, due to the robotic arms pinning them down, the Kaiba brothers, Malik and Jounouchi stayed in their place, unaffected by the huge displacement of air and energy.

"Fuck _me_!" Jounouchi coughed and wheezed. The area was swept clean of the robots, blown to bits, but the powerful attack had been absorbed by the stone slab, crackling from the residual energy. Jounouchi looked around to see where everyone was: the Pharaoh and Mahaado in the far distance; Ishizu somewhere in the middle, unharmed; Yuugi to the side with an incredulous look on his face and Bakura Ryou, unconscious, on the floor next to him. Bakura got back up on his feet again, grumbling and growling. Without his Ring, he was vulnerable to the attack of the God. He left the Pharaoh little choice but to attack though, lest everyone was overwhelmed and subdued by the robots. The red dragon-God lunged at Bakura, opening its lower jaw, breathing smoke.

"Unbelievable," Kaiba said. He watched with wide eyes, unable to process what really was happening. The thief didn't cower in front of the God; if anything, he straightened himself and faced him head-on, but his body language showed apprehension.

"Great going, Pharaoh!" Jounouchi was relieved. He wiggled and saw Malik struggling to get back up as well. "Malik, quick, tell me - does Bakura have some kind of control device for the robots?"

"He usually has a black device with him," Malik said. "I guess it's a tablet, but I don't know where he keeps it."

"I made it," Kaiba grunted. "He forced me to work on this technology, threatening to kill Mokuba if I didn't. I've known all my life that Gozaburo had stashed his war materials under KaibaCorp., but I never realized how much of it was still left. Robotics was a personal hobby of my adoptive father, and that's just scratching the surface."

Jounouchi nodded, grimacing. Mokuba had already filled him in about the man and his warmongering mentality. Kaiba wasn't to blame here; Jounouchi would've done anything if his sister's live was at stake. He addressed Malik again. "Can you reach my gun?"

"Yes," Malik said and took the gun out of Jounouchi's waist band. "I don't know what you want, guns aren't effective against Gods."

"It's not about the Gods." Jounouchi turned around. "Can you fire a gun? Shoot the restraints!"

"No, are you insane?" Malik was shocked. "I'll definitely hit you!"

"I'm willing to take that risk." Jounouchi forced his arms backwards in an attempt to create as much room between his hands and his body as possible.

"No, I can't!"

"Malik, you're the only one with his hands tied in front of him," Jounouchi said. "Shoot the restraints! I need to have my hands free!"

"I can't! I've never fired a gun before!"

"Do _it_ , Malik!" Jounouchi closed his eyes, preparing himself for a world of pain. Malik probably would misfire, and he would end up with a gunshot wound. Too bad, he didn't have any other option at the moment. He could hear Malik breathe rapidly, panicked. This wasn't one of his brightest ideas. He braced himself, ignoring the loud roars and screeches coming from the battlefield. Bakura's Diabound had wrapped its large snake-like tail around the Pharaoh's dragon-God's neck and tightened his grip.

"What took you so long?" Bakura shook his fist at Diabound. The monster was neither impressed with his gesture nor with Mahaado's Magus of Fantasy Illusion flying around him and firing energy bolts; the magician-priest's _kaa_ monster was no match for the humongous creature. The mystical stone tablet brimmed with the energy it was containing, sending out strong electrical jolts.

"Fire, goddamnit!" Jounouchi cried out. Malik obeyed and fired with his eyes closed. His hands shook too much and aimed the barrel of the gun too far to the left. The bullet ended up in the wall. "Focus! Focus, Malik!"

He fired again and the second bullet grazed Jounouchi's upper leg. He bit back a loud curse as pain exploded in his body. Malik dropped the gun, aghast and afraid. Blood welled up, coloring the fabric of Jounouchi's pants darker. Frantically, he tugged at the restraints.

"Try again!"

"No!" Malik shook his head, shivering all over. "I shot you! You're injured!"

"Shoot it again!" Jounouchi snarled as he twisted his hands, struggling. _Ignore the pain._ In all his years as a detective, he miraculously never had been shot. So this was how it felt like… and to think that the bullet had merely grazed him. Sweat rolled down his face.

Kaiba spoke up, suddenly. "The second bullet went through its control panel! It's short-circuiting!"

Encouraged, Jounouchi used brute force to pull his hands free. The mechanical arms disengaged and like dead weight, the robotic device fell on the floor. Jounouchi bit back another grunt of pain; the restraints had been very tight, and his arms had been clamped together in an unnatural position for hours. _Fucking robots!_ He picked up his gun from the floor, ignoring the shaky Malik for now. Kaiba turned around, showing Jounouchi his bound hands.

"Release me," he demanded. Jounouchi was tempted to shoot, but he used the butt of his gun to destroy the robot's control panel instead. Kaiba grunted when he could move his arms again, rubbing his hands together before he went to help Mokuba. Jounouchi immediately located Yuugi. Diabound was struggling with the God and Bakura was too occupied to pay attention to Jounouchi, so he safely made his way over to his friend and Bakura Ryou, still unconscious.

"Jounouchi," Yuugi said, dazed and confused. His eyes went wide when he saw the ominous dark patch on his pants. "You're injured! You're bleeding!"

"It's just a scratch," Jounouchi tried to reassure him. He wasn't bleeding profusely, but he knew very well that a steady trickle could result into enough blood loss to have his body give out on him. He stuck his gun into his waistband again and tore a sleeve off of his shirt. Mahaado had no time to heal him right now, so he had to stop the bleeding himself. Jounouchi wrapped the sleeve around his upper leg and tied it firmly together. Yuugi tugged at Bakura.

"I can't get him to wake up," he said. "Please Jounouchi, we have to help him!"

"I'm sorry Yuugi, but he's of very low priority right now," Jounouchi said. He felt sorry for the poor delivery boy, drawn into this mess against his will. "We have to help the Pharaoh first, don't you think?"

Yuugi agreed, but protested nonetheless. "We can't leave Bakura-kun here like this."

"Let's get the both of you to a safer place," Jounouchi said. He picked up Bakura effortlessly, he weighed absolutely nothing. He gritted his teeth. There was actually no such thing as a 'safer place' around here. The two god-like monsters occupied the grounds, huge bodies moving back and forth as they fought. Dark Bakura was close to the overloading stone slab with the Sennen Items and Marik had to be around somewhere as well. Hugging the wall, Jounouchi carried Bakura over to the rest of the group: Kaiba, who had freed Mokuba and Ishizu in the meantime, was now deactivating Malik's restraints. Jounouchi carefully put Bakura down; he immediately slumped against the wall.

"Mokuba-kun, would you mind staying with Bakura-kun?" Yuugi asked. Mokuba nodded.

"I'm not going anywhere," he shuddered.

"Kaiba!" Jounouchi called after him as the tall CEO stalked off. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"I was forced to assemble this technology," he said, without looking back. "I know where the control center is and I know how to destroy it. Don't follow me. Keep an eye on Mokuba."

He halted mid-step when he caught a good look at the Pharaoh, approaching the group with Mahaado in tow. He did a double-take and quickly looked over his shoulder and back again. "Yuugi? How..? What the hell..?" His confusion would've been amusing in any other circumstances, as the usually unflappable Kaiba Seto was now fumbling for words. The Pharaoh nodded at him.

"I wished we would have met in better times, Set," he said.

"My name is _Seto_ ," he managed to croak out. "Who the hell are you?"

Mahaado came up behind the Pharaoh, ready to defend him. "You always are so brash in the Pharaoh's presence," he said, shaking his head. "Some things will never change."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kaiba said. "Who are you?"

"Unfortunately, we do not have time for introductions," Mahaado answered. "We need your help, friend. If you can destroy the heart of these robots-" he had difficulties pronouncing the foreign word, "-please, go ahead. We will catch up with you later."

Kaiba knew better than to dawdle, even though he couldn't help but to cast one more glance at the Pharaoh before hurrying away. Mahaado and the Pharaoh moved towards Jounouchi, who waved at them frantically.

Yuugi ran up to the Pharaoh and the magician-priest. "Please, we have to leave here! The stone slab is overloading with energy!"

"Aibou? What are you doing here?" The Pharaoh arched an elegant eyebrow. He looked haggard from the earlier fight. "You were supposed to stay safely at the mansion!"

"Mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said sternly, "we'll have to talk about that, but not now. We have to get everyone into safety!"

Jounouchi snickered when the Pharaoh turned slightly red. Not even Mahaado commented on Yuugi talking back to him. Right at that moment, the red dragon-God managed to throw Diabound off of him, roaring with the effort.

"Osiris is in pain," Mahaado said. "Please Pharaoh, for your sake…"

Jounouchi quickly connected the dots: any time a monster, God or not, sustained damage, that very same damage was shared with its wielder, in this case the Pharaoh. He was experiencing the same pain as Osiris. It had to be excruciating, yet he was still standing on his feet.

"I cannot release him," the Pharaoh said stubbornly. "Where are the others?"

"Don't worry about Mokuba, Ishizu, Bakura and Malik," Jounouchi said, tumbling over his own words. "Kaiba went off to destroy the command center of the robots and when he does, we won't have to worry about them anymore."

"I understand. Hopefully Set will succeed soon…" his voice trailed off.

Mahaado looked at him worriedly. "What should we do, Pharaoh? Marik has to be around somewhere too."

"Call back your Magus," the Pharaoh said. "We will retreat for now."

"Pharaoh, without your Puzzle-" Mahaado started, but his voice was drowned out by Osiris' mighty growl, as the God arched its back and used its razor sharp pointy tail to whack at Diabound. The sharp, protruding scales on Osiris' tail scratched Diabound's eyes and Bakura screamed in pain accordingly. He buried his head in his hands, blood dripping between his fingers. He shared a similar bond with Diabound like the Pharaoh and Osiris; any damage to Diabound hurt the thief and without his Ring he was twice as vulnerable. Diabound fell onto the ground, creating a large cloud of dust.

"The Items..!" The Pharaoh took a step towards the stone slab, but Mahaado pulled him back rather roughly, yanking at the rim of his torn and tattered cape.

"No! It is too dangerous!" Mahaado called his Magus and pointed his monster towards the slab. Before the Magus could gather the Items, a large metal door behind the slab opened, revealing robots. An endless sea of robots. Jounouchi grunted.

"Kaiba," he muttered under his breath, "you better destroy that command center soon, or else…!"

"Do not fear," the Pharaoh said. "Osiris will take care of them. We will be-" he doubled over as he grabbed at his chest, agony written all over his face.

"Pharaoh!" Everyone yelled. The accompanying roar of Osiris was unmistakable. Diabound held the God in its grip again, twisting its neck. Bakura's hatred and anger fueled the monster with relentless power and strength, surpassing the God's. Mahaado put his arms around the Pharaoh to support him.

"Let him go, Pharaoh! Let him go! You cannot sustain all of us any longer! Please!"

"We have to be victorious," the Pharaoh said, groaning in pain. "Light has to survive…"

"We _will_ be victorious, Pharaoh," Mahaado said. He looked up at his Magus and barked orders at him in Ancient Egyptian. The monster flew away. Mahaado turned his attention back to the Pharaoh. "I will not allow anything to happen to you."

"Eh, guys?" Mokuba said. "We… sort of are trapped, if you know what I mean."

The robots ahead of them and the strangled God and Diabound and Bakura behind them; Jounouchi could hear the thief cackle. Another shiver ran down his spine. Of course the thief would enjoy the sight of the struggle and the onslaught at hand. He pulled out his gun again, turned around and pointed it straight at Bakura.

"You got yourself a sacrifice," Jounouchi said. "You have a body. You're not immortal, Bakura. I'll put enough bullets in you that you can't be resurrected. In fact, before anyone _can_ resurrect you, they'll have to search for your brain all over."

The thief didn't even bat his eyes. "I command monsters the equals of Gods," he said, wiping for a last time at his face, smearing blood all over. "I pilfered tombs of Pharaohs, I have vanquished death - and you think a bullet to the head will _stop_ me?"

"He's right, Jounouchi-daimyo," Marik's voice came from the left and Jounouchi swirled around, pointing his gun at the new target. "And the same goes for me."

"You can pump all your bullets into us," Bakura laughed, "but you will never kill darkness. Just give up, Jounouchi."

He lowered his gun again. Bakura was right, of course. This was far beyond normal human comprehension. This went above and beyond reality… and rationality. Jounouchi narrowed his eyes. Rationality… he had noticed something earlier, something that seemed of little significance, and Marik's appearance reminded him.

"Darkness isn't the most powerful force in the world," he said. "Wherever there's darkness, there's light. In everyone's soul." Jounouchi refused to lower his eyes and he stared at Marik. "Even in yours."

Marik did that curiously-tilt of his head again, his golden earrings shifting with the movement. Bakura made a snorting sound, as if he was going to break out in either a laugh or a coughing fit.

"Of all of the prisoners, Malik was the only one with his hands tied in front," Jounouchi continued. "You might have pummeled and beaten him, but you didn't restrain your light half too tightly, did you?"

"Robots held him down," Marik said. "Not me."

"Yes, but robots don't decide whether hands are tied in the front or in the back," Jounouchi insisted. "You attached the robots to everyone. You fastened the robots on everyone's back, pinning them down… except for your light half."

"What is he talking about, Marik?" Bakura snarled.

Marik shrugged. "I don't know. He's just running his mouth."

"Then make him shut up," Bakura said. Marik showed a wicked grin in return and took a step towards Jounouchi.

"No, Marik." It was a miracle that Ishizu's voice was overheard with all the noise. "Please."

He scrunched up his face. "Stay out of this, pretty sister. Your part is over."

"Jounouchi is right," Ishizu said, unperturbed by his curt words. "You are an entity of violence and destruction, but not even you are mindless, soulless. You showed mercy to Malik in your own way."

Marik pulled out something fom behind his back - a golden artifact. It was the Sennen Rod. "Stay away from me!" he growled.

"You idiot!" Bakura raged. "You took the Sennen Rod out of the slab! What the hell is going on with you?"

"Marik is a Tomb Keeper." Ishizu said. She turned her head to address Bakura. "No matter what lies you whispered into his ear, no matter what you promised him, no matter how much you used him - he is still one of us." With a compassionate smile on her face, she turned back to Marik again. "I do not care what you do to me," she said. "I do not care about what you did to me. I forgive you. You are one of us."

"Sister," Malik said, standing next to her. "You know what and who he is. He doesn't deserve any forgiveness, and neither do I. For what I've done…"

A hitch in her voice. "You are both my brothers." She took a step forward. "I believe in both of you."

Marik's facial expression was a grotesque mixture of disbelief, anger, abhorrence and disgust. He lifted up the Rod, the eye on the sphere glowing ominously.

"Put that back into the slab!" Bakura barked at him.

Ishizu wasn't going to back down. "We guarded the Rod and Tauk for millennia. By any rights, it should be ours."

"You're nothing but weak pawns," Bakura said disdainfully. "You've always followed your equally weak Pharaoh, blind to everything he has done!"

"We are not the demons in this legend," Ishizu said. " _You_ are, Bakura!"

"You dare call me a monster," he hissed, "when you are in _his_ company?" He pointed at the Pharaoh.

"What?" Yuugi took the Pharaoh boldly by the arm. "He's not a monster!"

"You'd think so?" The menacing glare in Bakura's eyes made him shiver. "You have no idea what he has done to me, my family…"

"Pharaoh, do not listen to him," Mahaado interrupted him. "You are not to blame. Let us hurry and leave!"

The scar on his face crinkled as Bakura frowned. "Fine," he said, voice low. "I don't care about any of you! You will all die! _Diabound_!"

Diabound increased his stranglehold on Osiris so hard that the Pharaoh cried out and sunk to his knees. Mahaado was barely quick enough to prevent him from falling to the cold, hard floor and the next moment, Osiris disappeared. Laughing, Bakura pulled out a black device from the folds of his cloak and tapped onto it. Immediately, the robots engaged into attack, jumping at everyone in sight. Ishizu screamed as robotic arms wrapped themselves around her. Malik came to her rescue, tugging at the arms and ripping at the technology while Marik, uncanny fast, used the Sennen Rod to destroy the oncoming waves of robots. Mahaado's Magus joined him, but his attacks weren't as intense; Jounouchi realized that the magician-priest was tired, having suffered from the earlier damage to his monster. Adding the strain of keeping the Magus afloat while supporting the Pharaoh, who looked worse for wear after summoning and sustaining two Gods, it was a miracle that Mahaado was still standing on his feet. Yuugi kneeled next to the Pharaoh, his hands on his shoulders.

"Take my energy!" He offered even though he hadn't much energy left himself. Marik continued destroying the robots, enjoying the mayhem. Malik used a robot's leg to whack at the electronic devices. Ishizu and Mokuba retreated to a corner, taking the unconscious Bakura with them. Surprisingly swift, Diabound moved its large body behind the thief, towering over him.

"I don't care about any of you," Bakura repeated, "I have waited long enough! I will kill you all! Diab-"

" _No_ , Bakura," an ominous voice echoed. Jounouchi covered his ears. Mahaado looked up, confused as to where the voice came from.

"Z-Zorc?" Yuugi asked softly.

Bakura looked annoyed. "What is it? I've done everything you wanted. All the Sennen Items are present. I'll pry it from their dead hands!"

"We need the Eighth Key," the disembodied voice spoke, raspy, low, as if millennia of dust and sand had worn on the vocal cords. It grated on everyone's nerves.

"Soon, you'll have your body," Bakura said confidently. His diabolical grin told Jounouchi more than enough. The whole lot of them was going to be used as a sacrifice for this Zorc guy, except for the Pharaoh… who was awaiting an even worse fate, of that he was sure.

"Pharaoh, so nice to see you," the voice came again. "Forgive me for not meeting you face to face. That will happen soon, as my… associate pointed out correctly."

"You will _never_ be resurrected, Zorc," the Pharaoh said and pushed at Mahaado and Yuugi to get up. "I will seal you away for good!"


	21. Chapter 21

"Still stubborn, I see." A moment of silence. "You are the Eighth Key, and you will tell us your name. My associate is very… creative in his ways to retrieve the information he wants."

Bakura's derailed grin was enough to make anyone feel sick to his stomach. Jounouchi ignored the pain he was feeling and stepped in front of the Pharaoh.

"You won't _get_ his name," he said, "and you won't be resurrected! This world is not yours!"

"Look at your miserable group of soldiers," Zorc continued, voice sickly suave. "The Tomb Keepers are about to fall over from destroying the robot minions. The Pharaoh is too exhausted and beaten to summon the last of his Gods and not even his pathetic light half can help him. His Priest is running out of magic and against the wall there is another deplorable group of weak bystanders: the Priestess, the original Bakura and Set's younger brother… I see that Set has removed himself from play. Interesting. But even he cannot do a thing to stop us."

Jounouchi looked over his shoulder. Zorc was right. Everyone except for Marik was close to exhaustion; he clung to his Item, the Sennen Rod, and destroyed one robot after another, but his movements slowed down, his chest heaving and his maniacal laughter came in pants and gasps. Jounouchi didn't know what to do next. It couldn't end this way.

"Bakura," Zorc commanded, "let us deal them one more blow."

The thief grinned again and tapped at the black device he was holding.

Yuugi pressed himself against the Pharaoh. "What do you need?" he asked, desperately. "What do you need to stop this? Is it your name? I…"

The whirring sound didn't bode well. Out of habit, Jounouchi's hand went to his gun again. Maybe he could stop whatever it was with a few bullets… he had damaged some of the robots before, hadn't he? But he wasn't prepared for what he saw next. A large red eye lit up above the metal door the previous waves of robots had come through and to his horror, Jounouchi realized that it was another robot, humongous, detaching itself from the wall and its protruding, spider-like mechanical legs searched for foothold on the floor.

Malik all but clung to Marik. "We can't…" he said, wheezing. "We're done for!" Marik growled, but his pose wasn't as confident and strong as before. The huge robot set itself motion and turned around to face the group. Bakura looked at it with disdain; Jounouchi figured that the Ancient Egyptian disliked modern technology just as much as the Pharaoh, but the thief had found a way to work it to his advantage. Diabound moved to the side, sucking in its chest as the giant robot passed. Even the look on the semi-God was one of great anger. Clunky, the massive robot took a few steps forward, lifted up one of its arms and struck Marik, sending both Ishtars rolling over the floor as they were clinging to each other. Ishizu cried out and ran over to her brothers. The robot picked up the Sennen Rod that Marik had dropped and returned it into the stone slab.

"Finally!" Bakura didn't bother to hide his annoyance. He pressed more buttons on the tablet and the robot lifted up its arms again, snapping them like crab pincers. Mahaado pulled at the Pharaoh.

"He's going to separate us," the magician-priest spoke, fear in his voice. "Pharaoh! We have to move!"

"Mahaado-san," Yuugi urged him, "what is it that he needs? What can I do?"

"Pray to all your gods," Mahaado said dramatically and called his Magus back, but as soon as his _kaa_ monster turned around, the robot swatted at the Magus as if it was an annoying fly and backhanded it casually. The monster fell to the floor and Mahaado doubled over in pain, groaning as he clutched at his chest. Jounouchi was at his wit's end. Magic didn't help, Gods didn't help, bullets didn't help and those big claws were coming directly at them. Mahaado was right: they were going to get separated, divided into human sacrifices to resurrect Zorc and the Pharaoh and Yuugi to be tortured for the Eighth Key… his name.

Jounouchi turned his head around. "Yuugi! Tell the Pharaoh his name! We have to seal this monster away!"

"No! Do not say it out loud!" Mahaado didn't allow the Pharaoh to speak. "As long as Zorc does not have his own body yet, we do not need the Pharaoh's name to seal him away!"

"How do we do that?" Jounouchi asked. "We're running out of time!"

"If only we could call forth the Sun of God Dragon," Mahaado sighed. "All of this has taken a severe toll on my Pharaoh. He has no power left to do so."

"How can we give him power to call that Sun thing?" Jounouchi imposed. "Hurry!"

"It's a Summon," Yuugi said. "It's a God, Jounouchi. We just can't… there's nothing left we can do!"

"Fuck _no_!" Jounouchi was ready to beat the robot with his bare hands when it suddenly halted, one of the pincers at a mere millimeters distance from the group. A deadly silence followed. Bakura stared in disbelief at the robot, whose red eye died down.

"Bakura! What is going on?" Zorc's voice filled the room.

Jounouchi needed a moment to process this new development, until it dawned to him. "Ha! In your face, stupid God of Darkness!" he roared. "Kaiba just cut off your electricity, you assholes!"

"He did it! My brother did it!" Mokuba cheered. "He found the command center and shut it down!"

Bakura was ready to murder everyone with the look of pure hatred in his eyes.

"Bakura," Zorc repeated, "do something!"

Everyone could figure out in less than a second what Bakura was going to do. He didn't shout a command. He didn't boast. He didn't grin. He simply made a movement with his arm and Diabound straightened itself to its full height. It raised its claw-like hands and held them apart, calling a massive energy ball into existence, crackling with destructive power.

"I don't wanna die," Jounouchi said, not realizing he said it out loud. He had hoped that Kaiba would seize control over the robots instead of shutting them down, so they could fight against Bakura and Diabound. But even so, what exactly could they do against this monster..? It was all over. They had run out of options, except for summoning the third God and it didn't look like that was going to happen anytime soon.

Yuugi grabbed the Pharaoh's hand. "Please, mou hitori no boku," he said. "You can do this. Summon the third God! Take my energy, take everything you need!"

"I cannot, aibou," the Pharaoh said, but he didn't withdraw his hand. "I already took more than I was allowed to. I am sorry. We will fight to the end. Mahaado, take him to safety…"

"Oh no you don't," Yuugi said. "We're not going to go through this again! The first time I allowed you to take that decision for me, but now, you don't!"

"Mahaado," was all that the Pharaoh said, and the magician-priest reached for Yuugi.

He shook his head, angrily. "I said no, _Atemu_!"

In a split second, Jounouchi saw both the Pharaoh's and Mahaado's mouth fall open in bewildered shock. The next second, everything went to hell. The stone slab exploded, scattering the Items everywhere, unleashing the build-up energy. A dark, ominous cloud formed behind Diabound, about to launch its attack. At the same time, a blinding light surrounded the Pharaoh, as both Yuugi and Mahaado held onto him tightly. Everyone shielded their eyes. Jounouchi stood in front of Yuugi, Mahaado and the Pharaoh. The Ishtars were all huddled together, along with Bakura Ryou and Mokuba - Kaiba hadn't returned yet, and he was probably safer wherever he was. Bakura laughed out loud. Diabound's attack was aimed straight at them. Jounouchi braced himself. If this was his moment to die, then he was content to die along with his friends. He didn't realize he was holding his breath, waiting for the inevitable. But the blow was never delivered. The light dissipated and Jounouchi looked up. A golden… sphere hovered in the air. It somehow shielded them, and it had impressed Diabound enough to withhold his destructive attack - the monster looked at the sphere suspiciously, while the dark mass behind him increased in volume. Bakura cackled, but suddenly hiss maniacal laughter dissolved into a loud, horrified wailing.

"Help me! Help me!" The thief cried out, swaying back and forth. He brought up his hands, staring at his fingers in disbelief as his skin changed, in color and texture. Jounouchi didn't understand what was going on. Bakura's cries became even louder as realization settled in when the first grains dropped to the floor: he was turning into sand. It literally seeped away from his body, _taking_ his body with it to the floor, and the look on his face was one of despair and fear. Yuugi even took a step forward, but Mahaado grabbed him at the shoulder and pulled him back.

"No," he said sternly. "He is beyond help."

Jounouchi drew his conclusions. The big sphere had to be the third God somehow, but it didn't show itself yet. When calling out the Pharaoh's name, Zorc's resurrection had been set into motion and the Dark God used Bakura to create his own body instead of original victims he had in mind. With a gurgling sound and a last cry for help, Bakura was reduced to a pile of sand, his red cloak the last reminder that he had actually existed. Diabound didn't utter a sound as it disappeared, swallowed by the dark cloud. It started to take shape, forming and molding itself into a….monster. It became quickly obvious that the Dark God wasn't human and didn't care for a human-looking exterior; Jounouchi took a couple of steps back, almost bumping into Yuugi. Mahaado strengthened his grip on the Pharaoh. Chuckling, which sounded like a rolling thunder, Zorc manifested itself as a gigantic tall monster-god-being, with massive fangs and razor sharp teeth for a mouth, bat-like wings, glowing red eyes and demonic, curved horns on each side of his head. Towering over the entire group, Zorc was apparently not impressed with the golden sphere hanging between them and he didn't attempt to remove it.

"I always knew that your name would be found in light again, Pharaoh," Zorc said, his voice low and gravely. A rumbling laughter followed. "It was a smart idea to remove all the references from your tomb, but you underestimated your light half's dedication. How sweet."

"Aibou," the Pharaoh said, without any reproach in his voice. Yuugi was on the verge of tears.

"I'm so sorry, mou hitori no boku…"

"It is all right." He straightened himself and his hand slipped away from Yuugi's. Mahaado silently let go of him and the Pharaoh stepped forward. Jounouchi moved away to allow him to pass. This was something between Zorc and Atemu. It was weird to think of the Pharaoh as Atemu, but a name was a name…yet his name was so important.

"You will go no further than this, Zorc," Atemu said, confident despite looking disheveled. "I will seal you again. My name is known - and I will use it against you!"

"Think again, Pharaoh. You are too weak to even summon your god completely. Your name is known now, but it is too late. You are all going to die. This world will be plunged into darkness!" Zorc put his right foot forward, casually trampling Bakura's coat, the entire floor shaking from the Dark God's massive weight. Jounouchi decided to stall for time; if anything, he could give Atemu the chance to gather more energy to unveil the third god.

"Don't you even care about what happened?" He asked out loud, earning Zorc's attention. He pointed at the red coat. "You killed your partner, and now you want to kill even more?"

"You know what I am," Zorc answered calmly. "There is no distinction in the darkness. Bakura lived out his usefulness. The fool thought we would return to Egypt!"

As if Yuugi had guessed Jounouchi's intention, he spoke up as well. "He was in tremendous pain when you killed him," he said. "You have no compassion. You have no heart."

"So?" Zorc was unfazed. "I am the Darkness. I am shadows and despair!"

"There's a small light in even the darkest darkness," Yuugi said. "Marik rejoined the Tomb Keepers. Bakura wanted to return to Egypt. Don't you see, Zorc? For everything you claim about hate and anger in your beloved darkness, there's hope and love in the light!"

"Impressive." Zorc even sounded like he was in awe. "You have obtained yourself a strong light half, Pharaoh. Perhaps _I_ have underestimated you. Do not worry," his eyes fixated on Yuugi, "there is no light in _me_ , none whatsoever. I do not feel such pitiful emotions like hope or love. The Darkness will rule, and I am the Darkness!"

"Your lack of compassion and love will be your undoing," Atemu said, just as Mahaado's Magus of Fantasy Illusion draped the Sennen Puzzle around his neck. He cupped it, and the stylized eye on the front immediately glowed intensely. "Listen to me, mighty Sun of God Dragon! Show yourself, Winged Dragon of Ra!"

Zorc hissed. The golden sphere responded to Atemu's command. Jounouchi thought he had seen it all, with those crazy Ancient Egyptians and their magic and weird stuff, but this took the cake. A monster emerged from the sphere, a giant bird-beast with wings, and enveloped in such a golden light that Zorc growled and grunted, taking a step back. Still, he wasn't showing any fear, just annoyance. The Winged Dragon opened its beak and let out a roar that shook the very sky; the entire basement and the building were shaking.

"Pharaoh," Zorc spoke, "you forget that I am a God as well! I have powers of my own, as well as the powers of Diabound. I will defeat your God and turn him against you!"

"You will _not_." Atemu looked over his shoulder. Ishizu caught his gaze, nodded and pushed Malik and Marik forward. Malik a little hesitant and Marik completely focused on the God, they joined Atemu's side.

"Pathetic humans," Zorc snorted. "You cannot protect them. It is too late, and you know it!"

Jounouchi noticed Mahaado's uneasiness. What was bothering the magician-priest?

"You will never understand what it means to rule," Atemu said, holding his Puzzle up higher. "You think that all it takes is to sit on your throne in darkness and do whatever you please. Who are you going to rule, Zorc, when you have discarded all of these 'pathetic humans'? A ruler is a man of honor, a man of great wisdom, a man of tremendous strength. You lack each and every trait for a just ruler. You will return to the darkness - not as a ruler, but as a prisoner!"

He started chanting. Malik and Marik joined him, voices shrill at first, but increasing in strength and volume as the chant progressed. Zorc snorted.

"Fools! Too late!"

"My name… is Atemu!" the Pharaoh cried out and Mahaado's "No! NO, Pharaoh!" got lost as the Winged Dragon transformed itself once again. Domino City was lit with the power of the God, who spread its wings and turned into a golden Phoenix, burning out the darkness.

"Holy fuck of the fuck," Jounouchi said, his mouth agape.


	22. Chapter 22

**WARNING FOR CHARACTER DEATH IN THIS CHAPTER!**

Mahaado, despite his obvious distress, couldn't help but comment with pride: "At full strength, he can summon, command and control all three of them simultaneously: Obelisk, Osiris and Ra. It is nothing but normal that the most powerful Gods will obey him."

Zorc squinted at the bright light emitted by the golden Phoenix, but managed to snort disdainfully. "You are not supposed to be able to support Ra on your own! Not when you have yourself and your servant to anchor in this plane of existence," he grumbled. He widened his impressive row of fangs into a mangled, wicked grin. "If you continue this attack, it will take all of us down. You will die along your precious God!"

"Mou hitori no boku!" Yuugi grabbed Atemu at the upper arm. "Is that true?"

"He is stalling for time," Atemu said, voice soothing. He put his hand over Yuugi's, but his touch was cold and lacked strength. "Zorc knows that he is defeated. Do not listen to him. With his dying breath still, he will try to persuade you to join the darkness. He is scrambling to save his life!"

He failed to reassure Yuugi, though. It was an unmistakable fact that as soon as Yuugi took him by the arm, he used him for support, the Pharaoh leaning intensely on Yuugi, knees wobbling instead of standing op straight with his usual rigid posture. His breathing was erratic, just like Mahaado's; supporting their _kaa_ monsters was draining them rapidly, and the battle had been going on for far too long.

"Atemu…" Yuugi whispered his name, his beautiful name, but the rest of his words got lost in the pandemonium. Assuming the Pharaoh was distracted, Zorc wasted no effort and lashed out for a new attack.

"You are too late! You will _never_ seal me again!" He lunged forward, summoning his petrifying magic. Atemu pushed Yuugi out of the way and Mahaado quickly stepped in front of the Pharaoh, to protect and to shield him. It wasn't really necessary. Ra took to the sky, spreading its mighty, fiery wings and attacked Zorc faster than the big, bulky, dark entity could move. The golden God tore straight through him, incinerating his massive body with the intensity of a thousand hot suns. Gurgling and cursing, Zorc went down, his claw-like hands reaching up to Ra and staring in horror as his arm disintegrated, just like the Thief King had been turned into sand. Ra burned him alive and Zorc was reduced to a pile of ash, the last of his physical appearance nothing but a few smoldering embers, ironically glowing with a bright light before dying out. In the heat of the attack, all of the robots, big and small, were destroyed as well, exploding on impact with the heat and sending mechanical parts flying. The stone slab that had housed the Items cracked under the extreme pressure and pulverized into a million pieces, creating a crater in the floor in the process.

Ra hung in the air, overseeing what it had wrought and as if satisfied, it disappeared with a sizzling sound. Jounouchi realized he'd been holding his breath and he exhaled.

"What the hell is going on here?" A familiar voice broke the sudden silence.

"Seto!" Mokuba cried out upon seeing his brother and ran to him, jumping at the last moment so he could fling himself into his arms. "You're back!"

Before anyone could bring the tall CEO up to speed, Jounouchi heard a high-pitched wail. It was Yuugi, on his knees next to Atemu, lying on his back on the floor. The Pharaoh's eyes were closed, his breathing shallow, and a small trickle of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. The Ishtars were on his other side and Mahaado hissed when he saw Marik touching the Pharaoh's shoulder. Both Malik and Marik were quick to step aside when the magician-priest rushed over to his Pharaoh, all but flailing.

"Pharaoh! I told you so! Pharaoh! Open your eyes!"

"Mou hitori no boku!" Yuugi cried.

"Converting the God into Phoenix mode was too much," Mahaado said to no one in particular. "I have to heal him…" His hand shook and trembled, faintly enveloped with the glow of his healing magic.

"Take my energy," Yuugi immediately offered.

"Take mine too," Jounouchi said.

"Mine as well." Ishizu held out her hand.

"Take whatever is necessary," Malik said and poked Marik in the ribs. Grudgingly, he held out his hands too. Kaiba and Mokuba stepped closer, Kaiba still with a "What did I miss?" expression on his face, but he recognized the gravity of the situation.

"I… I thank you," Mahaado said with an obvious hitch in his voice. "I thank you all, friends. But it will not be necessary. I cannot perform healing magic on my Pharaoh without his help. He is too weak. Soon, I will start to disappear, as he cannot sustain me any longer. The Darkness has been vanquished, at an extremely high price yet again."

"No! No!" Yuugi grabbed Mahaado's arm and pumped it, in a grotesque attempt to get his _heka_ started. "You have to do something! Please... please!"

"There is only one more thing I can do," Mahaado whispered. Just as Yuugi was about to ask what, he was interrupted by a loud groan. The entire group looked into the direction the noise came from. Someone was trying to get up from the floor, next to the crater. A dark figure, humanoid, struggling to find its balance.

"What the hell is going on?" Jounouchi asked and moved his hand towards his gun. "Zorc's still alive?"

Mahaado put up his hand. "No," he said. "There will be always darkness, Jounouchi. Zorc can not come back, not without the Items, not without an avatar. But the darkness has many names, many faces, and many shapes. You know that. You have fought it, when you encountered killers and criminals in your line of duty. You will not stop the fight, just like my Pharaoh. You will always be there to protect. I am no longer needed."

"What are you talking about? No longer needed? That's the biggest bullshit I have ever heard!" Jounouchi gave back crudely.

"Mahaado-san..?" Yuugi was confused. The priest looked at him, and for once a warm smile was visible on his face.

"You will always be there where and when I cannot," he said, "not any longer."

"What do you mean?" Yuugi didn't like where this was going. .

"It is time for everyone to heal," Mahaado said. Something had changed in his facial expression. Jounouchi figured the man was exhausted, but there was something else: acceptance. Acquiescence. What was he acquiescing to? "We will make this victory for the light a long-lasting one."

The Magus of Fantasy Illusion joined Mahaado at his side, the _kaa_ monster silent and comporting himself with the same acceptance as its master. It carried the Sennen Items, previously scattered when the stone slab was destroyed. Nobody said a word.

"This is what I have to do," Mahaado said. "Forgive me, my Pharaoh." He removed the Sennen Puzzle lying on top of Atemu's chest, sliding the frazzled rope over his head and taking the heavy golden object into his hands. With his last strength, Atemu turned his head towards Mahaado, his voice audible, yet raspy.

"I forbid you to do this, Mahaado."

"Unfortunately, my Pharaoh, you do not get to decide this for me." Mahaado's smile was forlorn, with that same melancholy he had displayed the last few days. There was no denial of his absolute determination. "It was a great honor to be with you, to serve you and to protect you." His long fingers traced Atemu's cheeks and the shape of his lips. Then he moved to take him into an embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around him.

"Do not do this, Mahaado. I cannot…"

Mahaado stroked his neck and raked his fingers through his hair, almost playfully. "My soul will be your eternal servant, Atemu."

A tear fell from the Pharaoh's eyes before he slumped into Mahaado's strong arms, his breathing weak but stable. The magician-priest held him, rocking him like a small child for a brief moment, hugged him with so much tenderness and love that it was almost too painful to watch. He gathered the remnants of Atemu's purple cape and formed it into a makeshift pillow, supporting his head as he gently laid him down on the floor again. Mahaado beckoned Yuugi closer.

"Take good care of him," he said.

"Mahaado-san, please… I don't know what you're going to do, but please…"

"It was an honor to meet you, to meet all of you." Mahaado straightened himself and looked at everyone in the group, even exchanging a brief glance with Marik. Ishizu didn't bother to hide her tears, and used the veil of her traditional robe to dab at her eyes. "It is my utmost joy and honor to heal you all. Please do not mourn for me. I will go, knowing that I have served my Pharaoh well, and that I shared in his love and kindness. I leave him with you, knowing that he will be all right. You all will be all right."

"Mahaado, please…" Ishizu's voice broke. Even Kaiba seemed to be affected with the sudden sadness and grief, and he made sure to keep Mokuba close, safely tucked away under his arm. Jounouchi shook his head violently.

"You can't leave, man! Whatever you're going to do, it's not worth it!"

"Leaving my Pharaoh in good hands and cleansing the world of Darkness is worth it, is worth my entire life. I cannot longer bear to be the burden that needs to be sustained."

"Then take my energy," Jounouchi said. "Whatever you need!"

"You don't understand, Jounouchi," Malik spoke up, softly. "With Mahaado around, the Pharaoh will remain just like he is: a non-living entity, caught between the real world and the afterlife. Mahaado is going to give him his life, so the Pharaoh can stay be here, in this world, with Yuugi."

"That's insane," Jounouchi exclaimed. "No one is _that_ devoted!"

"I am very happy to be the exception to that rule," Mahaado said. "Trust me, it was hard for me to come to terms with, but it was actually quite clear from the start. I would do anything for my Pharaoh, and so I will. It is time."

"Mahaado-san!" Yuugi said, as the magician-priest tossed the Sennen Puzzle up high. His Magus caught it and dropped the Item that looked like a scale. Mahaado grabbed it and cradled it against his chest.

"I will wait for all of you," he said, "but I do not want to see any of you soon, got it?"

"Are you… _joking_?" Jounouchi asked incredulously, but then Mahaado held up the scale and commanded: "Fusion!"

The golden scales chimed, but their sound wasn't as ominous as the sound of the prongs of the Ring used to rattle with. Enveloped with a golden light, Mahaado simply ceased to exist. Arcing through the air, the golden light shot up and aimed straight for the Magus, clashing with the monster and fusing with it. For a moment, the intensity of the light made it difficult to see what happened, but when it subsided, the Magus was still hovering in the air and its armor and appearance had changed drastically.

"Mahaado-san!" Yuugi exclaimed, recognizing the Magus' face. Its lips moved.

Ishizu looked up at the Magus. "Farewell," she softly said, tears streaming down her cheeks. His last look wasn't meant for her, but for the sleeping Pharaoh, safe in Yuugi's arms.

"Mahaado-san…" Yuugi didn't care that everyone could see and hear him cry. The entire group realized what was happening, and nobody looked cheerful or excited. The Magus… no, the full-fledged Magician bowed its head and with the Sennen Items gathered, he carried them over to the deep crater and dropped them one by one, deep into the core of the Earth for no one to find and use them for malicious purposes ever again. When he was done, the Magician soared to the sky and raised its staff. There was light again, warm and loving, raining down on everyone, showering them, drenching them, enveloping them. Jounouchi felt no more pain in his ribs and Malik's bruises and cuts disappeared in front of his eyes. Ishizu both laughed and cried, and Mokuba stared around him, not understanding what was going on. Kaiba scowled, but his exhaustion was gone. Jounouchi experienced the same resurgence, his energy returning full force, and even the mental exhaustion went away. It was a parting gift, a treasure that was shared with them, a last embrace and a last kind word. _Senebty._ Farewell.

"What just happened?" Kaiba asked when the last of the light ebbed away, leaving a cold, uncomfortable chill behind. Jounouchi shivered.

"I don't know," he said. He really didn't know. Mahaado was gone, but his gift of love and life blocked any negativity, turning it into a warm sensation, a feeling of blossoming hope. A long-lasting victory for light, indeed.

Kaiba tightened his grip on Mokuba. "I'm going to dump that crater full with lead so no one can get their hands on those Items or Gozaburo's warfare materials ever again," he said. "I thought by building KaibaCorp. on top of what he left behind, I had literally hidden my father's legacy… but I should've destroyed it from the start."

"This wasn't your fault," Jounouchi said. "We should…" His voice trailed off. Alerted by the sound of approaching footsteps, his hand automatically went to his gun. With one surprise after another, he tried to be prepared for anything, but he couldn't help himself; as he saw a number of unknown people walk towards him, his jaw went slack.

"Is everyone okay? What happened?" A young man with short cropped, reddish hair detached himself from the crowd.

"Amelda?" Jounouchi didn't let go of his tense stance. The last time he'd seen him, he'd been under the influence of one of Zorc's dark spells. "Where do you come from?"

"Jounouchi?" Amelda sounded relieved when he recognized at least someone. "I don't know. We were all together in a darkened room, standing up straight, no light, no sound. It was so dark… it was clinging to me, drowning me, and I tried to fight it off, but the more I moved, the more it stuck to me."

"It's all right, you're safe now," Jounouchi said. How was he ever going to explain to these people that they escaped a fate worse than death? Bakura and Zorc must've kept them as their last trump card: human soldiers, under the control of darkness, their minds enslaved and their will subjugated. They would've fought each other to the death without realizing what they were doing.

"Can we help? I think this one needs to go to a hospital." Rafael's voice was somehow softer, less curt. He picked up Atemu from the floor effortlessly, including Yuugi who dangled from his arm and refused to let go. Varon had a dazed and confused look in his eyes, but just like the others he concentrated on the current situation: to see if anyone needed help, if there was something he could do. The crowd fanned out from left to right and surrounded the Ishtars, asking them if they needed any help. Kaiba frowned at everyone who dared to even think of coming closer to him and Mokuba.

"Hey man, are you all right?" Varon's words weren't meant for Jounouchi. He stuck out his arms to catch Bakura Ryou, who had finally regained consciousness. He had managed to get up and walk over to Jounouchi, but his body was giving out on him and he toppled over. Before he could hit the ground, Varon caught him and held him upright.

"Could anyone tell me what's going on, please?" he asked. "Yuugi-kun? Why… why are there two of you? What is this place?"

"You have had a black-out the size of Europe," Jounouchi said. It was probably for the better that the young man had been unconscious the entire time.

"I do believe so," Bakura said sheepishly. "The last thing I know, is that I was at home and feeling bad about… a murder investigation..?"

"Well, that's sort of… solved, I guess." Jounouchi didn't know if that was true. He had no idea how deep Hirutani had sunk his claws into the department, and how many other detectives or cops were influenced or tainted by him, if it all. Jounouchi wasn't sure if he could even trust his own captain. It was such a mess and he had to figure out how to bring this all to a good end.

"I'm glad to hear that," Bakura said. "Is there something I can do, Yuugi-kun?"

Yuugi shook his head. Bakura couldn't even take care of himself. "We should go home," he said, "to the mansion."

"Wait a moment." Jounouchi hadn't forgotten about the unknown person next to the crater. Another entity of darkness, a remnant of Zorc? Had Mahaado been not strong enough to get rid of it all? The Magician couldn't have failed, could he? Jounouchi closed the distance between him and the person, who moved again and propped himself up on one elbow. Long, bone-white hair fell over his shoulders and he was wearing the same striped shirt and blue jeans as Bakura Ryou.

"Stay where you are," Jounouchi said. "Don't move! Who are you?"

The person turned towards him, twisting his torso and lifting up his head to look at him. Jounouchi gasped. He recognized those eyes anywhere; it was the dark Bakura who had shoved that table into his chest and had threatened him in the interrogation room.

"Asshole," Jounouchi spat, "how in the hell did _you_ survive?"

"Survive what?" Dark Bakura spoke, obviously not recognizing him. "Where am I?"

"Your boyfriend isn't here anymore to save you," Jounouchi snarled at him. "He turned you into sand! You're supposed to be _dead_!"

"Jounouchi." Ishizu had silently come to stand next to him. "He doesn't know. He doesn't remember. He's 'clean'."

"' _Clean_ '? Are you mad?" Jounouchi bellowed. "Do you know who he is?"

"He's free of Zorc, if that it's what you mean," Ishizu said. She had regained her usual calm composure, even though the tear-stricken kohl traces on her face spoke volumes. "And so is he." She nodded to Marik, wearing a much friendlier expression on his face, even though his grin was still unnerving. "They're healed, Jounouchi."

"But…"

"I find it hard to believe too," she said, showing him a tentative, yet sad smile. "Our pain's only just beginning, and I can't imagine how the Pharaoh must feel when he wakes up again and finds him gone. Let's not besmirch the great gift Mahaado showed us, Jounouchi. Please."

"It's time to go home," Yuugi called out. For whatever reason, the crowd had amassed around him and the tall Rafael, carrying the Pharaoh. Jounouchi made his decision. He extended his hand to Dark Bakura, who eyed him slightly suspiciously, but then reached out and allowed Jounouchi to help him up. Bakura Ryou, still supported by Varon, put up wide eyes when he saw his look-alike; it was quite eerie to see their physical similarities.

"Everybody out!" Kaiba commanded. This was still his HQ and he wanted everyone gone. Jounouchi didn't comment on his curt, unfriendly tone of voice. He understood that even Kaiba Seto needed time to process what had happened, and the CEO wanted to do that in the privacy of his own world, with the person who mattered to him most: his younger brother Mokuba.

Jounouchi mulled over Ishizu's words. _They are healed, Jounouchi._ Yeah, the physical pain was gone; no one was showing signs of fatigue or exhaustion. Even the Pharaoh, in Rafael's arms, breathed stronger and more even, despite not waking up yet. The darkness was gone, cleansing the dark halves of their thirst for violence and revenge. But the pain of Mahaado's passing was something that couldn't be healed, not for a long time to come. Jounouchi felt sorry for Atemu. It was true love what they had shared, and Mahaado had sacrificed everything to make his Pharaoh happy. Yuugi would be grateful, yet burdened with guilt… and Jounouchi mourned for the friend he had lost.

"Jounouchi-kun?" Yuugi's voice reached him from afar. The group was almost at the staircase; with the electricity cut, the elevators weren't working.

"Yeah, I'm coming," Jounouchi said and with a few big strides, he caught up with the group. Yuugi hugged him just as unexpectedly as Mokuba had hugged Kaiba.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry. I never expected that Mahaado-san was going to do something like this."

Jounouchi ruffled Yuugi's hair. He thought back to the first night they had spend at the mansion and how an upset and pained Mahaado had lectured them while the Pharaoh was asleep, after Yuugi had tucked him in. The magician-priest had always known that he lived on borrowed time, and that his time would run out the moment Atemu would find his light half. The Pharaoh had sustained him with sheer willpower and love, and Mahaado had gifted him with life in return, so he could stay with Yuugi. Maybe it wasn't fair. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be. He knew Yuugi was going to feel guilty and sorrowful enough as it was. He returned the hug.

"I never expected it either," he lied. It wasn't a consolation at all.


	23. Chapter 23

_One month later_

* * *

" _Ebi chili_? Really, Yuugi? _Again_?"

"Atemu-kun likes it," Yuugi said, defensively.

Jounouchi shook his head and took a small spoon to taste the dish. "Well, it is scrumptious, as always."

"And what did _you_ bring?" Yuugi asked curiously.

"Chicken teriyaki," Jounouchi said. "I have to curb your enthusiasm, though. I didn't make it myself. But it's from the best caterer in town!"

"Shizuka-chan isn't a caterer, Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi pointed out. "You shouldn't put your sister to work while you can do it yourself, with a little bit of planning!"

He grinned. "I'm bad at planning _and_ at cooking, you know that."

"I'm so glad that everyone could make it." Yuugi stared at the huge pan with _ebi chili_ on the large kitchen table. He hadn't returned to his dinky little apartment, not even to get his clothes. The large mansion had been his home since the moment he met Atemu, and he had no plans to ever leave him.

"It's nice to see everyone again, yes." Jounouchi could feel Yuugi's sadness. He'd been friends with him for too long to not notice. It was harrowing to see Yuugi in pain, but there wasn't much Jounouchi could do about it. He was grieving, and as a psychologist, Yuugi knew all too well what emotions he was dealing with, but that didn't make it any easier. Concerning that, he and Atemu had great consolation with each other.

"I wish I had known Mahaado-san just like you, Jounouchi-kun. I feel so much sorrow and pain that he's gone, and Atemu-kun…"

His voice trailed off and he stared to the right. Jounouchi followed his direction and looked through the open kitchen doors, leading to the large garden. In the back of the garden, next to the delicately sculpted fountain, Atemu was talking to Kaiba, who had arrived earlier. Mokuba was standing next to his brother, looking slightly amused. They were discussing something, and Atemu held as much ground as Kaiba, apparently.

"How is he doing?" Jounouchi asked, but he already knew the answer.

"He's in pain," his friend answered. "Mahaado-san… he truly loved him, and he wasn't able to say properly goodbye. Mahaado-san took that chance away from him, and it saddens and angers him."

"Mahaado wanted to spare him," Jounouchi said. He didn't deny that he'd been sad and upset about Mahaado's passing as well. The magician-priest had chosen that moment himself, to sacrifice everything in order to heal everyone… but he'd been naïve to think that his sacrifice would leave no scars, no grief, no pain.

"I know, and he knows." Yuugi arranged the dishes on the large table. "It takes time, Jounouchi-kun. For all of us."

He didn't answer to that. He had witnessed a couple of intimate moments between Mahaado and Atemu, and he figured that the Pharaoh hadn't told Yuugi yet how exactly deep their bond had run. It wasn't his place to tell, some things were just too private. All that mattered was that Yuugi was very happy with him, and vice versa.

"He wants to sell the mansion," Yuugi continued. "I have to officially end the lease of my apartment, still. He wants to find something for us, together."

"What, he doesn't want to move in with you?"

"Are you serious? Pharaohs need lots of room!" Yuugi chuckled before turning serious again. "It's because of the lingering memories," he softly said. "Mahaado-san's presence is all around, and the mansion breathes a great deal of sorrow and grief."

"Buying a new house would give your relationship a fresh start," Jounouchi agreed.

"We're not going to forget about Mahaado-san," Yuugi said. "But I didn't say no when Atemu-kun suggested it." He looked at Atemu in the garden, his eyes warm and loving. Kaiba handed something to the Pharaoh, it looked like a small card. "He loved him so much. He's burdened with guilt and sadness. It's such a huge sacrifice Mahaado-san made, even though I think deep down, they both knew it was going to end this way, either way. Atemu-kun couldn't sustain them much longer and keep fighting the darkness and summoning the gods to boot. There's a limit to everyone's power, even when you're a Pharaoh."

"He did a damn good job," Jounouchi said. "He and Mahaado."

"Hey everyone, I'm here!" Honda announced himself. "I brought chocolate mousse. Nobody has brought any desserts, right?"

"Chocolate mousse is fine, Honda-kun!" Yuugi took the dish from him and put it next to the stack of plates. "Well, let's see what the others are going to bring!"

"They're fashionably late, as usual." Jounouchi heaved a dramatic sigh. He was hungry, and the dishes for the potluck dinner looked awesome so far. Yuugi went to rummage through the fridge and Honda walked up to his friend and colleague.

"How have you been, man? Have you decided yet?"

"Yeah, no," Jounouchi said. "I mean, no, my decision is no."

"I thought so." Honda looked relieved. "Team leader Jounouchi is just… weird."

"I wouldn't even trust my dog to team leader Jounouchi if I had one," Kaiba said, as he entered the kitchen with Mokuba trailing behind him. Atemu stayed in the garden, still with the card in his hands.

"Shut up, Kaiba," Jounouchi said, slightly annoyed. "They offered me the position out of respect."

Half the police station had been corrupted by Hirutani and Zorc's darkness. Their influence had been more wide-spread than Jounouchi had ever imagined, and he still wasn't sure if they had weeded out all of his agents. Honda had worked hard alongside Jounouchi to expose the corrupted agents and to both their relief, captain Ushio hadn't been affected.

Kaiba snorted. "If they think you're the only competent detective left, that's saying a lot about the Domino City Police Force, and not in a positive way."

"Nii-sama, stop it," Mokuba said. "Ooh, who brought the salad?"

Jounouchi turned away from Kaiba. He wasn't really offended; in the short time he knew Kaiba, he had already gotten used to his blunt comments.

"I'm glad you're staying," Honda said. "Or… are you considering quitting, perhaps?"

After everything that had happened, Jounouchi hadn't returned full-time to the force just yet. He shook his head. "No, I'm not quitting," he said. "I just need a little more time. I can't leave the police force in your hands alone, that's for sure!"

Honda looked mock-offended and asked Yuugi if he could help him. Jounouchi heard noises at the front door and he was about to check it out, when Ishizu walked into the kitchen, carrying a huge pan wrapped in tinfoil. "The door was open," she said. "Has everyone arrived yet? I hope I made enough!"

"Were you planning to feed an army, Ishizu?" Jounouchi took the heavy pan from her. Malik and Marik trailed behind her, dressed equally as twins, also carrying heavy pans.

" _Kushari_ and _ful medames,_ traditional Egyptian dishes," she elaborated. "Are you sure it's going to fit all on the table, Yuugi?"

"Perhaps we should put another table next to it?" Yuugi suggested. Malik had brought extra plates and cutlery and pointed Marik at where to put the other dish, delicious garlic bread. Jounouchi almost started to salivate.

"Everything well?" He knew that she had thought of returning to Egypt, but she had decided against it at the last minute.

"We are doing fine," she said, not saying the 'seeing the circumstances' out loud. "Malik is taking online classes to bring him up to par with his peers. He still has to decide whether he wants to go to college or to follow in my footsteps at the museum."

"And how about…" Jounouchi inquired. Ishizu showed a sad, yet warm smile.

"Mahaado took the darkness out of him, but Marik's… 'birth' has always been extremely complicated and he will never be a 'normal' person. However, this burden is much lighter now to bear, and I will take care of him as my brother, as the two brothers I have."

"That's great to hear." Jounouchi stepped aside so Mokuba could put all the plates on the table. He smiled at Ishizu. "Good to see you!"

"Good to see you too, Mokuba. How have you and your brother been?"

"Nii-sama is extremely busy, but he takes time out of his schedule to spend with me. Ever since he acquired Industrial Illusions, he's been designing and developing Duel Monsters. No more war for us, only children's card games."

"Amazing," Ishizu said. "I am very sorry about what happened to the building, though."

"No problem, Ishizu-san. We wanted to redecorate anyway." Mokuba winked at her.

The damage to KaibaCorp.'s headquarters had raised quite the questions in Domino City. Kaiba had issued a general apology that due to war materials stored in the basement and other subterranean levels of the building, an explosion had occurred, destroying the fundaments of the building. He would take full responsibility and vowed to restore KaibaCorp. to its full splendor again, grateful that no one had been fatally injured. He had employed Varon, Amelda and Rafael to strengthen his security and oversee the renovations.

"Looks like some people are really flexible," she said. "I am glad. Life is too short to keep wallowing in negativity and darkness, don't you think?"

"I agree," Jounouchi said and waved at Anzu and Otogi, the happily married couple. He was excited to see everyone again, relieved and happy that he didn't need to hide and 'play dead' anymore. He was glad to leave his undercover persona behind and to be with his friends and family again. Only the inner circle of his friends knew the truth about what happened; he had told his colleagues and his sister, Shizuka, that the earlier announcement of his death had been a misunderstanding due to a miscommunication. He had left it at that, not wanting to share the raw, dark details with his closest family; Shizuka hadn't asked, simply too overjoyed at seeing her brother alive and well again.

"Ah, the last guests," Yuugi said pleasantly as he herded everyone into the large kitchen. "Bakura-kun, you had no problem finding it?"

"Not at all, Yuugi-kun. This is such a beautiful mansion!" Bakura Ryou smiled from ear to ear as he showed the huge casserole he had brought with him. He had every reason to smile, as he was completely cleared from any suspicion. Jounouchi and Honda had closed the case, as there was no one they could bring to justice. To the outside world, Hirutani was blamed for the murders and the corrupted chaos at the police station. To the insiders… well, how could one explain the existence of the former Dark Bakura who, with a permanent bored look on his face, was next to Bakura Ryou? Whatever he had been, his dark, thieving and manipulating days were behind him. Zorc was gone and so was the darkness inside Bakura - how to apprehend and send someone to trial who had no recollection of what he had done? He had killed Pegasus and stolen his Eye, one of the seven Sennen Items in possession of the American, wearing it in the place of his natural eye. He had killed Dartz, assuming that the man was also in possession of one or more Sennen Items; after that, he'd gone after Kaiba, believing him to be tied to the Items as well; the Rod, to be exact. Both times he'd been thwarted by the Pharaoh, forcing each other to play dangerous Shadow Games; Jounouchi didn't understand all of it yet, but he had received one more, final gift from Mahaado: his notes on the Items and their creation, the origin of these games and Zorc. He couldn't use this in a court, it was too fantastical to believe. Too many questions still, and the one person who could answer it all, had sacrificed himself in an ultimate attempt to heal everyone. Jounouchi turned away and bumped into his sister, who had made an extra batch of chocolate chip cookies.

"Are we all here? I'm losing count," Yuugi said. "Take a chair, everyone! It's almost dinner time!"

"The Pharaoh's still outside," Mokuba pointed out.

"I'll call him, just a moment." Yuugi went into the garden. Jounouchi saw him talking to the other, dressed in a foreign mixture of modern day clothes and Ancient Egyptian jewelry. Atemu showed Yuugi the card that Kaiba had given him, and Yuugi studied it for a moment; then he embraced the other. It was brief but intense, and Yuugi coaxed Atemu into coming with him, back to the kitchen. Silence fell - everybody intuitively knew that this was a special moment.

"Thank you all for joining me," Atemu spoke. "I am humbled to be surrounded with so many loved ones. I wish Mahaado could be here, our beloved and wonderful friend. He chose as I always knew he would choose, but his choice came too soon. Light has persevered, again at a high cost. We will honor this great gift that he has given us. Join me in dinner, friends."

Jounouchi joined the choral "Itadakimasu!" and then everyone was busy with food, sharing bowls and plates, and drink, pouring each other's glass or cup. Everyone was talking amicably and the atmosphere was cozy and comfortable. Jounouchi shoved plate after plate into his mouth, followed closely by Honda. Malik showed Marik how to use the chopsticks, to prevent the other from stabbing his food. Mokuba talked excitedly, whereas Kaiba was merely eating and not answering to anything, in typical Kaiba fashion. Anzu and Shizuka got into a conversation about children and Jounouchi wanted to know immediately if his sister had a boyfriend, and who, and how dared she want to be pregnant so soon! Hilarity ensued and even Ishizu laughed out loud at his antics. Yuugi and Atemu ate in silence, their hands on top of each other. Yuugi looked at Atemu with love and devotion, and the Pharaoh returned his gaze with fierce protectiveness. The card that Kaiba had given him, was on the corner of the table, next to Atemu.

"May I see it?" Jounouchi asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.

"Of course." Atemu handed him the card with great care, and Jounouchi made sure to wipe off his hands before taking it from him. He stared at the picture, it was a card from the Duel Monsters game titled "Dark Magician", and it was Mahaado's Magus of Fantasy Illusion, or rather, the fusion of Mahaado and his Magus, right before the moment that he gave his life to heal everyone. Jounouchi's jaw went slack. He had never thought that Kaiba, of all people, was able to make such a moving, heartfelt gesture.

"It's wonderful," he said and returned the card to Atemu. "An ATK of 2500, huh? Maybe I should learn how to play this game."

"Do you want to become a duelist, Jounouchi-kun?" Yuugi glowed. "Atemu-kun told me that they played a similar game in Ancient Egypt, and he's been teaching me. Kaiba-kun is going to expand on the game, and even hold a tournament! What do you think?"

"Well… you never know, don't you?" Jounouchi sipped his water. "It's not a big surprise who your favorite Monster's going to be."

Yuugi shared another look with Atemu. "He belongs to you," he said, putting his hand on top of Atemu's again. It was a sweet gesture, but it was a little unsettling to Jounouchi nonetheless. To share a table with not one, but three pairs of creepily similar looking people was just the least of all the supernatural and strange things that had happened as of late.

"What was that?" Kaiba suddenly spoke up. " _You_ are going to learn the complicated game of Duel Monsters and participate in _my_ tournament?"

"Hey now, don't get all worked up. I haven't even decided about my job yet, let alone if I'm going to participate in a tournament!"

"My tournament is not for half-assed losers like you," Kaiba grumbled.

"Now now, be friendly at this table," Yuugi said, a little admonishing. "Don't make me go puppy dog eyes on all of you!"

"Fine," Kaiba said and snorted at the same time. Jounouchi didn't even know that was possible. "Participate if you wish, Jounouchi. I'm sure you're not even going to survive the first round!"

"My brother is pretty smart," Shizuka stood up for Jounouchi. "He's a detective who solved many complicated cases, I'm sure he can play a card game in any tournament!"

"We'll see all about that," Jounouchi shushed the conversation. "Where's the chocolate mousse?"

* * *

"That's one big pile of dirty dishes, Yuugi," Jounouchi said as he stared at the impressive stack of empty pots, pans, plates, silverware and glasses.

"I know." Yuugi had refused his guests to help him out. The mansion didn't dispose over any modern electronic kitchen appliances, so there was no dishwasher available. "When and if we buy a new house, I'll tell Atemu-kun that I want a dishwasher installed. And a rice cooker."

"And a coffee machine."

"Tea, Jounouchi-kun, tea…"

"I'm sure your boyfriend will accommodate to your every wish. Too bad he needs his beauty sleep so much, doesn't he?"

Yuugi glanced at the clock. The guests had left after dinner, and Atemu had retreated to his bedroom. "I know, Jounouchi-kun. I guess it's still the drawback of Mahaado-san not being around anymore. I figured Atemu-kun would be a lot more energetic now that he doesn't have to sustain him any more, but the opposite is true. Fatigue sometimes overwhelms him. He needs to find a new balance. He's already doing better, though. I'm sure he'll be back to his normal self very soon."

"You're right. Say, do you want me to help you with the dishes?" he offered again.

"It's pretty late, Jounouchi-kun. You should go home… or do you want to spend the night here? You know your way around in the mansion."

Jounouchi nodded. "Sure. I'd like to stay for one more night. Like a goodbye, of some sorts."

"I'm sure the mansion will appreciate it." Yuugi smiled at him. Talking about the mansion as if it was a sentient being wasn't the weirdest thing that has happened as of late, and Jounouchi accepted it as the simple truth. The mansion had always felt warm and welcoming to him, and after witnessing Gods, dark and light, magic, entities and Pharaohs who technically shouldn't exist, the sense of comfort coming from a dwelling was almost normal to him. "We'll leave the dishes for now. Ishizu-san said that she'd be back tomorrow to help out, after she'd taken care of her brothers."

"Yeah, amazing, isn't it? Bakura and Marik are completely free of the darkness that dwelled inside them. They're never going to be model, upstanding citizens, but at least they won't cause trouble like that anymore." A thought suddenly hit Jounouchi. "You're the Pharaoh's light, Yuugi. If Atemu is your dark half, then…"

"There's darkness inside him, yes." Yuugi was serious. "He shouldered it to save the world, and he took it upon himself to seal it away. He chose to fight it, again and again, bringing him to this plane of existence… and because of his friend's sacrifice, he became real in this world. Atemu-kun will always fight the darkness, as he knows it best. He's not _the_ darkness, Jounouchi-kun."

"You're his light," Jounouchi repeated. "A light half to make his soul complete. I don't expect him to resurrect malevolent beings anytime soon."

"You got that right. I'm never going to let go of him. I balance him out, and he makes me complete." Yuugi put the dish towel onto the kitchen countertop. "Bed?"

"Bed."

They climbed the stairs. Jounouchi was under the impression the mansion had been mourning before, but this evening, after everyone had livened up the place with their presence, laughing and eating and having a good time, it felt as comfortable as it used to be. It was a saddening thought that he wouldn't be able to visit the mansion anymore, if Yuugi and Atemu were really going to sell it. It was probably for the best, Jounouchi figured. Everyone was moving onto a new chapter. Kaiba, leaving every memory of war and violence behind and focusing on holographic technology and games for children. Ishizu, embracing her brothers and loving them. Malik, accepting his dark side and going back to school, rebuilding his life. Bakura Ryou, getting along with the thief who almost killed him and not suffering from those black-outs and gaps in his mind anymore. Yuugi, picking up and continuing his life with Atemu by his side, loving and caring.

"Good night, Jounouchi-kun," Yuugi said as he halted in front of his bedroom door.

"Good night, Yuugi." He didn't walk away yet. He knew his friend too well; he knew Yuugi wanted to say something, but was struggling to find the right words.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

"For everything." Yuugi looked vulnerable. He talked easily about emotions and showed them quite often, but this was a very rare, very open moment for him. "For accepting me and Atemu-kun. For believing in the both of us. For not dismissing the magic and declaring us insane."

"Hey, I saw everything happen in front of my own eyes," Jounouchi said. "I'd never doubt my best friend, and I'll never stop believing in you, and by default, in Atemu."

"Are you in trouble with the police department? I mean… how to explain it all?"

Jounouchi heaved a small sigh. "Hirutani is appointed as the killer and the responsible one for all the events. I know he was a motherfu… rotten apple, but it's not the truth. He was a sad figure, swayed by simple promises about wealth and fame, yet he made the conscious choice to serve the darkness. He has no family, so there's no one going to protest… but like I said, it's not the truth. The truth is just too fantastic to believe."

"People have died," Yuugi said somberly. "I feel guilty about it. But… if it hadn't happened, Jounouchi-kun, I would've never met the other half of my soul. Forgive me for being so terribly selfish, but I wouldn't know what would've happened to me if I hadn't met Atemu-kun."

"You have nothing to feel guilty about," Jounouchi reassured him. "The Sennen Items are gone and can't be used for evil anymore. Kaiba made sure that no one will ever be able to find them. Other forces and powers were at work, Yuugi… forces and darkest powers we had no control over."

"I guess you're right." His face lit up with a tentative smile. "Thank you for being my friend."

"Thank _you_ for being my friend."

"Good night," Yuugi said again and pushed the door open, silently entering the room. Jounouchi waited until he had closed the door before walking to his bedroom. He turned on the light and undressed himself. He could very well remember the first time he woke up in here; Mahaado had healed him after his confrontation with Marik Ishtar and not soon after, Jounouchi had met the Pharaoh… Atemu. He stepped into the bed and rolled himself into the sheets. What was going to happen next? Was everyone and everything going to be all right? He stared at the ceiling. If Ishizu could find it in her heart to accept Marik as a brother, and if Bakura Ryou could find it in his heart to accept Bakura as his friend and partner, and if Yuugi could find it in his heart to accept Atemu as the dark side of his soul and love him with every piece of his heart… then yes, everyone and everything was going to be all right.

"Good night, mansion," Jounouchi said and closed his eyes.

* * *

End of _Darkest Powers_


End file.
